Find Care and Manage Health with the CVS Health App.

My role : Product designer on CVS Health App

The Opportunity

With CVS transitioning from a pharmacy and loyalty-focused discount brand to a trusted partner in health and wellness, it was clear the app needed to evolve to meet this new vision. As thousands of our acute care locations across the country began offering primary care services, the demand for a seamless, patient-centered digital experience became even more urgent. It wasn’t just about keeping up—it was about leading the way.

The opportunity to elevate the CVS app wasn’t just about adding new features; it was about rethinking the entire digital experience to better serve our patients. We needed to ensure that every interaction, from booking appointments to managing prescriptions, reflected our commitment to supporting their health and wellness journey. By enhancing our digital capabilities, we aimed to create a more integrated and personalized experience that could truly empower patients to take charge of their health, wherever they were in their journey.

The Approach

Getting to the heart of the problem was our first priority. We dove deep into extensive customer interviews and paired those insights with a detailed data analysis of the current app experience. It became clear that there were some major opportunities where we could really make a difference for our users: caregiver access, condition onboarding, medication management, health records, health triage and appointment scheduling. These were the areas where we could add the most value, helping patients and caregivers navigate their health journeys with greater ease and confidence.

With these insights in hand, I worked with a cross-functional design team of subject matter experts through a series of ideation workshops. We focused on developing innovative solutions to address the key opportunities identified. Our goal was to flesh out the key moments that could transform these opportunities into actionable features. We brainstormed, sketched, and debated until we found solutions that not only addressed the pain points but also added meaningful value to the user experience. This collaborative process ensured that every step of the redesign was aligned with what our customers truly needed, setting the stage for an app that could support their health in a more comprehensive and personalized way.

Design Challenge

As we crafted the new app experience, it wasn't just about reimagining features and user flows—it was also about leveraging new tools and resources across the enterprise. At the same time, the company was rolling out new native app pattern libraries, designed to streamline development and ensure a consistent, high-quality user experience.

These libraries were a game changer, giving us the building blocks to create a more cohesive and intuitive app. By integrating these new patterns, we were able to focus our energy on innovation and customization, rather than reinventing the wheel. This approach not only sped up the development process but also ensured that our design choices were aligned with the broader enterprise goals.

The Blueprint

To truly capture the end-to-end patient experience, I conducted a series of immersive workshops. We began by mapping out the patient journey from the initial inquiry about a condition or symptom, through scheduling and managing appointments, and extending to post-appointment activities like receiving care instructions and lab results.

This process wasn’t just about documenting steps; it was about deeply understanding the patient’s perspective. We delved into the pain points and emotional hurdles they face at each stage, from navigating complex healthcare systems to managing anxiety and uncertainty. By putting ourselves in their shoes, we identified critical moments where empathy could transform their experience.

For example, we pinpointed where patients often felt overwhelmed or confused and focused on creating solutions to alleviate these frustrations. This included simplifying appointment scheduling, improving communication around care instructions, and making lab results more accessible and understandable.

By embracing this empathetic approach, we were able to design a more seamless and supportive journey that addressed real patient needs and pain points. Our goal was to enhance the overall experience, making it not just efficient but also compassionate, ultimately leading to greater patient satisfaction and trust in the healthcare process.

The Vision

We began by focusing on the very first interaction patients have: scheduling an appointment. Drawing on our insights and learnings, we put new strategies into action. We introduced fresh native patterns that would become the cornerstone of our new component library, ensuring consistency and ease across the app.

We didn’t stop there; we also revamped our content strategy to make it more conversational and user-friendly. The goal was to make every step of scheduling not just functional but also approachable and clear. We crafted content that spoke directly to patients in a way that was both reassuring and easy to understand.

By applying these new patterns and content strategies, we transformed the scheduling process into a smoother, more intuitive experience, while improving access to health records in the App. This wasn’t just about aesthetics; it was about creating real value for patients by reducing friction and making their journey from the very first touchpoint more seamless. Our approach not only improved the scheduling experience but also set a new standard for how we interact with patients throughout their healthcare journey.

Looking Forward

As we gather feedback from patients about the new app experience—both qualitative and quantitative—we're continuously learning and evolving. With CVS Health expanding its Primary Care and Virtual Care practices nationwide, I'm working closely with teams to dive into the next phase of development. Our goal is to leverage these insights and opportunities to refine the app further, ensuring it meets evolving patient needs and enhances their overall healthcare journey.