I led the design during the definition and launch of DrGo, Hong Kong Telecom's groundbreaking telehealth platform. The idea required navigating the early telehealth market, deeply understanding local healthcare needs, and strategically adapting our approach to achieve successful market penetration. Through rigorous research, iterative design, and a crucial pivot in our go-to-market strategy, DrGo emerged as the leading telehealth provider in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Telekom (HKT) wanted to transfrom the healthcare access in Hong Kong by connecting patients with doctors remotely. However, entering the market pre-COVID presented a significant challenge: telehealth was a relatively unfamiliar concept, and widespread adoption wasn't guaranteed.
To overcome this, we embarked on an intensive phase of concept testing and research, immersing ourselves in the local healthcare landscape. We conducted user interviews, observed patient-doctor interactions, and analysed market trends to understand the cultural sensitivities, healthcare preferences, and specific needs within the Hong Kong context. This research proved invaluable in shaping the platform's features and user experience.
One of the key strategic decisions was a shift from a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) to a Business-to-Business (B2B) go-to-market strategy. Initial testing with various target audiences revealed that chronic care providers offered the most promising avenue for adoption. Patients with chronic conditions already had established relationships with their doctors, mitigating the trust barrier often associated with telehealth. The convenience of remote consultations and medication delivery resonated strongly with this demographic.
The development of DrGo was a great example of rapid iteration and cross-functional collaboration. We leveraged out-of-the-box tools to build the initial version of the platform in a mere two months, enabling us to quickly test and gather user feedback. This iterative process involved close collaboration not only with the technology team but also with business stakeholders, legal experts, and marketing professionals, ensuring a holistic and compliant solution.
The strategic pivots and design decisions made during the development phase proved instrumental when the COVID-19 pandemic swept through Hong Kong. DrGo, already running pilots in selected hospitals and clinics, was uniquely positioned to scale rapidly and provide essential healthcare services during lockdowns and social distancing. This led to DrGo becoming the leading telehealth provider in Hong Kong, significantly impacting the accessibility and delivery of healthcare in the region. The success of DrGo has been recognised with multiple prestigious awards, celebrating its innovation and contribution to the healthcare sector (see awards list).
Access health advice and consultations from the comfort of home, offering a convenient alternative to traditional clinic visits.
Connect with a network of qualified local specialists, ensuring access to appropriate and reliable medical expertise.
Skip pharmacy visits and receive prescribed medication delivered directly to your door, saving time and effort.
Book video consultations with doctors quickly and easily, streamlining the process of seeking medical care.
Service design
We meticulously designed the end-to-end user journey, from initial consultation to medication delivery and follow-up care, ensuring a seamless and supportive experience.
Phisical delivery
The packaging and delivery of medication were carefully considered, with clear instructions and coordination with the prescription details provided in the app.
Concierge service
We implemented a concierge service to provide ongoing support to patients after their consultation, addressing any questions or concerns and facilitating a smooth experience.
Personal care
Our design philosophy extended beyond the immediate consultation, incorporating a personal follow-up procedure to ensure continuity of care and patient well-being.
The success of DrGo depended on its ability to resonate with the specific needs and cultural nuances of the Hong Kong healthcare market, requiring us to conduct extensive concept testing throughout the design process. This involved a variety of research methods, including user interviews to understand patient attitudes and expectations, ethnographic studies to observe patient-doctor interactions, cultural sensitivity analysis to address cultural factors influencing user behavior, and competitive analysis to identify best practices, and these insights informed every aspect of the platform's design, from its user interface and information architecture to its service workflows and communication strategies, allowing us to incorporate features emphasising trust and credibility and adapt the language and tone to be culturally appropriate.
Recognising the urgency of providing telehealth solutions, we adopted a "build to learn" approach, prioritising speed and iteration over perfection, which involved leveraging low-code tools to accelerate development and quickly create a working prototype, embracing iterative design with a continuous cycle of feedback, and fostering cross-functional collaboration between designers, developers, business analysts, legal experts, marketing professionals, and healthcare providers, enabling us to launch DrGo rapidly, gather early user feedback, and refine the platform based on real-world usage.
Our initial go-to-market strategy focused on attracting individual consumers (B2C), but early testing revealed challenges in building trust and driving adoption. We then pivoted to a B2B strategy, focusing on partnering with chronic care providers, which proved to be a critical turning point because patients with chronic conditions typically have established trust with their doctors, telehealth offered a clear value proposition of convenience and improved disease management, providers became strong advocates for the platform, and this allowed us to reach a larger audience and scale more effectively; this strategic pivot, informed by user research and market analysis, was instrumental in DrGo's success.
