identifying unmet support needs of patients with obstructive sleep apnea
Scope: User research, patient-journey mapping, healthcare ecosystem mapping, value proposition generation
Client: Global medical device manufacturer
Partner: C Space
Our client, a medical device manufacturer, was faced with a rapidly changing and competitive space driven by increased patient awareness and desire to be in control of their own health and the rise in the number of ways to shop for CPAP therapy (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) related products. This competitive landscape, in conjunction with low patient awareness and familiarity with CPAP manufacturers, led to our client to pivot from relying on intermediaries (medical device suppliers) to promote and educate patients about their products, to a direct to patient retail strategy to have more influence over acquiring and retaining patients.
Our objective was to identify unmet needs and opportunities for manufacturers to provide more direct patient support. To do so, we focused on 1) building an understanding of the patient onboarding experience when starting CPAP therapy 2) understanding where patients currently receive support and motivation and 3) current level of access to resources and information regarding therapy. At the end of this quick-turn, 6 week research sprint, we delivered a report that focused on building empathy for CPAP therapy patients, identified key areas where manufacturers were strategically positioned to deliver additional value and support, and provided guidance on the types of information they should provide.
As a user research lead, I crafted the research approach, developed the activities, and analyzed the output to provide guidance to the design and marketing teams. An associate consultant assisted me in panel management, data collection, and reporting.
CONTEXT
ABOUT CPAP THERAPY
Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is a common type of therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) . OSA is a condition where patients' airways become blocked during sleep and patients stop breathing intermittently. If untreated, the condition can cause other health problems such as hypertension, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, and shortened lifespan.
How might we help patients on CPAP-therapy feel more supported & empowered in their OSA journey?
APPROACH + METHODOLOGY
For this project, I led a quali-quant approach, utilizing several different methods over the course of a six-week intensive research sprint. We fielded all research activities to an online community of OSA patients on CPAP therapy, with an average n-size of 65 respondents per activity. The activities ranged from quantitative attitudinal questions, to highly qualitative guided story-telling.
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We provided patients with a timeline and asked them to mark down the major milestones in their CPAP journey, along with how they felt and what they experienced.
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In this activity, we asked patients to illustrate their main sources of support and motivation by imagining their life as a movie.
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We used projective techniques to elicit guidance from patients about great advice they’ve received throughout their journey, along with what they wished they knew earlier on.
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We asked patients to brainstorm the future of support when it comes to CPAP therapy. To get a sense of their needs, we asked them to imagine the source of support first as an organization, and then as an individual.
RESEARCH METHODS & ACTIVITIES
Acquiring the correct CPAP therapy set up is a complex task, as a patient's therapy is highly specialized depending on their underlying health conditions and physical attributes. Even for the most experienced users, the journey is fraught with unexpected challenges that come with life changes that may necessitate beginning the burdensome process all over again. In the face of these challenges, what motivates patients most is staying healthy for their loved ones.
INSIGHTS & OUTPUT
PATIENT DEFINED CPAP JOURNEY MAP
KEY INSIGHT #1: Patient journeys vary greatly - there are more differences than commonalities.
We discovered that many patients shared common milestones. However, the time it took for patients to begin feeling comfortable with the routine was highly variable, ranging from a month to over three years; some patients even reported that they still didn't see any benefits to treatment. This challenged the manufacturer's assumption that the average patient took only three months to get into a sustainable routine. The different channels through which patients access care and receive diagnoses introduces additional complexity to the onboarding process, and increases the likelihood that patients don't receive critical information. Frustration and lack of perceived benefits puts patients at risk for ceasing treatment.KEY INSIGHT #2: After initial set-up, patients support drastically drops, leaving patients vulnerable when life inevitably happens.
The largest gaps in support for patients are updates on their progress, reminders to maintain their equipment, and help in unusual circumstances – all support that requires detailed understanding of exactly where patients are in their journey, from a place of motivation and empathy. It is also difficult for patients with mild to moderate OSA to recognize the benefits of CPAP therapy.KEY INSIGHT #3: Patients struggle to find the emotional and motivational support they need to continue therapy.
The largest unmet support needs of patients are in emotional & motivational encouragement. Many patients with OSA feel isolated because of the stigma. Most of the support that patients receive currently is highly clinical and technical - there is a lack of personalization and warmth. SUPPORT GAPS IN THE PATIENT JOURNEY
OPPORTUNITY
Ultimately, patients don’t currently see manufacturers as a large part of their support network. They rely on occasional visits to health professionals to guide them, and then their own personal motivations and friends and family for day-to-day support. Manufacturers are well positioned to deliver on the need for personalized and consistent support, no matter where the patient is in their journey.
Manufacturers have the opportunity to meet patient needs for consistent, personalized support throughout their lifelong journey with OSA by...
Supporting patients frequently during initial set upProviding personalized updates on patient well beingAlerting patients to new products that may be a better fit