The challenge for Aryaú Design was to create the difference, a new identity to the clinic, focused on the specific needs and requirements of patients and its internal public.

We started by drawing a company profile, from the beginning, with strong participation and synergy with the staff through casual meetings and in-depth interviews. We followed doctors, nuclear medicine technicians and nurses on their routines in handling and administrating radiotracers, exams and issuing medical reports. We also followed the receptionists in scheduling examinations, patient care, delivery of examination reports and relationship with doctors and health insurance. We have created with our client the need to focus on employees to ensure effectiveness in the implementation and sustainability of the deployed solution.

To gather customer insight, we conducted interviews and customer satisfaction researches and followed patients throughout the interaction with the clinic since its arrival to the medical examination. We complemented the understanding of processes with desktop studies, process mapping and quantitative and qualitative existing data analisys. We concluded that the clinic already served patients in good standards of medical and operational quality, but without changing the state of anxiety due to the presence or possibility of serious illness that negatively affects all processes. Another factor that contributed to this state of anxiety was the contatct with radioactivity and the unfamiliarity of security protocols related.

Casual meeting whit staff In the new service model the patient is greeted by a hostess who opens the door, welcomes, identifies and invites him to sit. Using a cellphone, she registers the patient on the system using voice control and puts him on the attendance line. A message warns the attendant that comes out of the back office with its laptop and provides the service sitting next to the patient, in a casual conversation. The patient then waits being directed to the exam. The furniture consists of sofas, armchairs and small tables with casters.

There are pictures on the walls, books, magazines, water and flowers. A living room. The colors used are brigth and cheerfull, full of vital energy. The creative and careful vision of design allowed us to perceive the need to act in a more delicate part of the customer relationship, creating actions that impact in their state of mind. We realized that we could create the new focus on healing, wellness and vital energy. Among several alternatives generated through design thinking, the concept of Warming Welcome was chosen by Aryaú to guide the project. The pacient will be welcomed in a warm and safe environment full of life, away from the fear of disease and radioactivity. We defined the space between two doors as the initial focus of change, the front door of the clinic and the access door to the medical area, we created within the team an expectation that we would change medicine. That the environment would be immersed in a magical welcoming aura. From this point on we could better the lives of those who enter through the front door.

To materialize this concept we transformed the lobby by completely breaking the standard reception models in clinics and hospitals. We moved all staff and medical equipment: computers, printers, forms, telephones and office supplies from the lobby to the back office area. The counters and number dispensers were eliminated. For the final stretch of the team's efforts, we made several meetings and roundtables, creating total focus on the model and encouraging co-creation to enable the implementation. We also trained the attendants to explain the security protocols to patients.

In the new service model the patient is greeted by a hostess who opens the door, welcomes, identifies and invites him to sit. Using a cellphone, she registers the patient on the system using voice control and puts him on the attendance line. A message warns the attendant that comes out of the back office with its laptop and provides the service sitting next to the patient, in a casual conversation. The patient then waits being directed to the exam. The furniture consists of sofas, armchairs and small tables with casters. There are pictures on the walls, books, magazines, water and flowers. A living room. The colors used are brigth and cheerfull, full of vital energy. When the patient enters the examination area he is relaxed and confident. The same concept of interior design and Warming Welcome was deployed throughout the clinic. We recreated the graphic design, uniforms, exam clothes, furniture and objects.

In the clean and eclectic space that became the reception of the clinic, using concepts of creative economy and space sharing, Aryaú Design created the Project Medicine, Art and Culture, offering social return. In this environment, an art gallery was installed, which exhibits works by local artists, both scholars and non-scholars. Alongside other cultural events, it interacts with patients helping them take the focus off the disease. Within a year of operation, it has held 13 art exhibitions. Artworks are also installed in medical environments, expanding the concept to the entire clinic. We replace TV sets for books that patients can read and take home.

Through the creation of a set of furniture and using scenario role playing, the model has been tested and enhanced stimulating co-creation. And because patients are people in a sensitive state, all test activities were developed with staff in all roles. As the model completely absorbed the identified needs, it was possible the full implementation of the new system in less than a week, without interruption of the normal activities of the clinic.

OUTPUT

Design adds value to the service when it allows a comprehensive and holistic view of reality, incorporating the sophistication of concepts such as attention, care, subtlety, sustainability and wellbeing. In this case we can see a first and strong positive impact on the clinics attendance and as well high complexity exams work in an easygoing and cultural environment. The creation of the back office eliminated the interference of telephone service in the personal attendance, resulting in a peaceful and quiet environment decreasing stress and where the privacy of customers and employees is preserved. The elimination of counters allowed the creation of "virtual counters". In this process the staff activities are better distributed between personal assistance and back office activities. So it creates or eliminates counters according to demand. The conceptual solution of "virtual counters" releases the lobby area and is cheaper and easier to deploy than the traditional system. As a direct benefit to patients and their companions there was a noticeable decrease in the state of anxiety. We have also noticed an increased belief in medical care. The Project Medicine, Art and Culture contributes strongly to take the patients focus off the disease when placed in contact with the art and culture in its time in the clinic. As a benefit to the company the service design tools sedimented the participation of staff in solving problems and seeking excellence. The decline in the state of anxiety of patients decreased staff stress, reducing operational errors. 

The implementation of the project decreased absenteeism and improved organizational climate. The displacement of the attendants to the customer has decreased stress and cases of RSI relative to when working sitting in static activities. It also created a more personal relationship with patients who participate voluntarily in model improvement. Also, the vision of design encouraged adoption of sustainable attitudes by the clinic as use of natural lighting and ventilation, LED lamps, hydraulic lift, rain water, recycling and recycled materials. The cultural and sustainable environment acted as a social change agent for all the staff.

As a benefit for the conpetition, deployment of an innovative solution, positively highlighted the clinic against competitors, with an increase of 20% of customers served by health insurance and private. Today 9 out of 10 customers express intention to indicate the clinic to relatives and friends. The Project Medicine, Art and Culture made the clinic known to a larger population, it gave visibility to the more influential people and publicity on vehicles disseminators of culture. We also found increased investment in advertising by competition.

IMPACT

In satisfaction surveys with users, we found:

• Good or Excellent service evaluation - from 72% to 97%
• Errors or problems on attendance - from 28% to 3%
• Patients would return and indicate the service - from 62% to 97%
• Loyalty of doctors - from 70% to 100%

The project implementation has transformed the traditional clinic in a modern and attractive work environment with motivated employees and proud to be part of the project. The environment delights patients and caregivers. 

The magnitude of the positive impact of the project changed the company name to the concept in march 2016. Today it is called MAM - Nuclear Medicine and Genetics. MAM is the acronym for Far Beyond Medicine. In portuguese Muito Além da Medicina.

• Project Name: Far Beyond Medicine
• Category: Commercial, Professional 
• Service Design Award 2016, nominated project for Professional Award
• Organization: Aryaú Design
• Clients: MAM - Clinic for Nuclear Medicine and Genetics
• Website: /