Web/Mobile App Critique

 

Howdy!

    In the second week of class, I had the chance to review a web/mobile application I commonly use. I chose to review the Kaiser Permanente Mobile application because I have been using the Kaiser app since 2014 and absolutely love having access to my medical information at a click of a button. The app itself gives users access to medical record information, test results, and past visits. It also offers users the ability to send/receive messages from doctors and specialists, schedule/revise visits, and access online care. Over the years, I have noticed that the application has improved its overall system and user convenience.

Kaiser applications highlights

    One of the major highlights of the Kaiser application acquires how simple and easy it is to use. For example, my mother, who is not tech-savvy, can easily control the application and get where she needs to without my help. In addition, since the application offers a digital I.D. card that patients can use in place of their physical I.D. card, Kaiser recently added a facial recognition and thumbprint recognition feature (depending on the device) that allows users to access their information readily. With Apple devices, users even have the option to store their medical card in their apple wallet for even swifter access.

Design and functionality 

The application's design is simple and continuous throughout the experience. The colors used are primarily white and blue; however, critical information is displayed in orange. This distinction helps the user classify each section appropriately. The material throughout the experience is displayed proportionately and uses different fonts/sizes to classify material. An additional aspect of the application is that its functions are easy to locate and identify. For example, although the home page provides a wide range of tasks, the navigational bar helps users toggle between the home page, messages, and medical record information with ease. Once the user clicks on an option, they are given more choices related to their specific instruction. The most important feature the Kaiser app offers is its ability to be accessed by multiple devices at once. For example, I can access my account from a computer, a tablet, or another mobile device. Likewise, my husband and I both have access to our entire family's medical information on one account via the Kaiser Permanente application.

Suggestions for Kaiser app developers 

While I have not had significant problems with the Kaiser application, I would suggest that Kaiser's app developers improve the application's ability to send crash reports automatically when they occur. So far, users can self-report crashes or issues by accessing the option in the settings menu, but many people look past the point and do not report since it is so time-consuming. This causes problems when trying to improve the functionality and usability of the app.

    The second recommendation for the developers is to fix the bugs associated with the new version of the app. One of the bugs I have noticed is that the application sometimes crashes and requires users to reinput their information. In addition, the face I.D. feature sometimes tends to deactivate. When this happens, the user must manually reactivate it through the settings. This issue is very inconvenient when trying to access the medical card for appointment purposes quickly.

    Lastly, when making an appointment, users can only make appointments scheduled 4-6 weeks out. They do not offer in-person appointments within a four-week timeframe yet; when you directly contact the Kaiser operators, they are, in fact, capable of scheduling appointments for the following week (depending on their schedule). Please take the opportunity to review the pictures of the Kaiser Permanente Mobile Application below.