Food Pharmacy Mobile App

Question/Goal

How can SF Food Pharmacies empower their clients to better access and maintain healthy lifestyle changes?

Overview

Food pharmacies are new model of healthcare bridging the gap between food insecurity and health inequality by targeting low-income residents living with chronic illnesses. Unlike food pantries, pharmacy clients are referred by a doctor so they can access the food they need to maintain a diet that mitigates symptoms of their chronic illness. Adopting a “food is medicine” approach, they seek to give patients increased access to healthy food and teach them how to prepare it to promote long-term lifestyle changes. Food pharmacies also refer patients to additional food and wellness resources, so lifestyle changes can be sustainable independent of the pharmacy.

Discovery: Research and information synthesis

The design process was informed by discussions with the head of the Tom Waddell food pharmacy, and interactions with clients and volunteers at the pharmacy.

"Health equity means everyone has a fair opportunity to be healthier – opportunities that work for patients who are sicker, have fewer resources, and face significant barriers." (Tom Waddell Food Pharmacy, 2018)

One aspect of the user experience stressed by staff and volunteers was the need for more empowered messaging around the role of food pharmacies in the community. Messaging around long-term healthy lifestyle choices need to be clear and engaging. As such, the following communication design principles were considered.

Define: Mapping the user journey

A typical user journey of a patient at the food pharmacy:

Two challenges were identified; these, in addition to other considerations mentioned below, suggested a mobile app would help food pharmacies achieve their goal.

Challenge 1: Mitigate gaps in the experience of food pharmacy staff and volunteers to optimize their time and labor
As the pharmacy receives new clients each week, a method of differentiating clients who need to sign in versus those who need to sign up (write down name and phone number) would expedite sign-in process. Digital check-ins would save on time and labor, so volunteers can focus on understanding the health needs of new clients.

Challenge 2: Increase convenient accessibility to food and wellness resources
The food pharmacy identified resource distribution as a weaker aspect of the experience. They want to offer more information on food preparation methods, direct patients to community events and workshops (farmers markets accepting CalFresh, free fitness classes, etc), and share additional food resources (CalFresh/food stamps, pantries).

The current system involves distributing flyers/handouts to patients; however, patients express reluctance over reading the many pamphlets or note-cards and examine at most one resource before leaving. Each resource is distributed on a different piece of paper. Patients commented that they didn’t like collecting paper; sifting through large stacks of paper also requires increased cognitive effort. Patients expressed confusion at which resources they should consider as there are no convenient yet comprehensive resource compilations, nor a method of personalizing recommendations. As most patients do have smartphones, compiling a personalized resource guide from a simple yet comprehensive questionnaire would allow clients to see only the most relevant resources, in one place, even after they leave the pharmacy.

Prototype & Iterate

An interactive prototype (below) was created and refined based on feedback obtained at food pharmacies. Clicking anywhere on the screen will make hotspots visible.

Additional concerns related to Challenge 1 and Challenge 2 are also addressed.

Food pharmacy staff wish to gather post-experience information, but are concerned about the efficacy of post-surveys, as clients may not follow up and complete them.
→ If clients already have the app open to check in and are immediately reminded of the survey, it’s easier for them to complete it after getting food.

The food pharmacy calls to patients to remind them to attend each week.
→ With app notifications, this function is mitigated, and the staff can better utilize their time to accomplish other tasks.

Food pharmacies want better sense of which resources patients are engaging with.
→ If data tracking is instituted for events that clients have mark as “attended,” the pharmacy can better gauge if clients are making sustainable lifestyle changes and in what categories.
→ Centralizing user information and digitally collecting metrics allows for greater information capture and increased efficiency, to maximize employee/volunteer time

Patients often ask staff how to prepare certain foods or which ingredients are suitable for certain health conditions.
→ Patients can access to demo recipes they can save recipes from demos they enjoyed and filter recipes based on ingredients and their health concerns.
→ Nutritional information of pharmacy-provided foods, tagged with health labels, are available for patients at home via the app.

Many patients cite transportation as a barrier to accessing certain resources.
→ Location services can provide patients can with events/resources easily accessible from their address.