National Healthcare Group of Singapore
Streamlining Community Health
Program Management for NHG
Streamlining Community Health Program Management for NHG
Streamlining Community Health Program Management for NHG
Client
National Health Group of Singapore
My Role
Product Design
Requirement Gathering
UI Design
Design QA
Timeline
Sept 2023 - Jan 2024
Team Member
1 Lead Product Designer (Me)
1 UI / UX Designer
Context
Context
Building a Digital Solution for NHG’s
Community Health Program Management
Building a Digital Solution for NHG’s
Community Health Program Management
Building a Digital Solution for NHG’s Community Health Program Management
Building a Digital Solution for NHG’s
Community Health Program Management
In line with Singapore’s Healthier SG initiative by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Healthcare Group (NHG) sought to create a digital solution to enhance the management of health and lifestyle programs. The goal was to enable seamless collaboration between NHG, community partners, and residents, promoting healthier lifestyles through accessible wellness programs such as exercise and cooking classes.
In line with Singapore’s Healthier SG initiative by the Ministry of Health (MOH), the National Healthcare Group (NHG) sought to create a digital solution to enhance the management of health and lifestyle programs. The goal was to enable seamless collaboration between NHG, community partners, and residents, promoting healthier lifestyles through accessible wellness programs such as exercise and cooking classes.
3 Key Players
3 Key Players
NHG & Their Staff
NHG staff oversee programme data, partner coordination, and healthcare initiatives.
NHG staff oversee programme data, partner coordination, and healthcare initiatives.
NHG staff oversee programme data, partner coordination, and healthcare initiatives.
Community Partners
Organised and delivered health programmes for residents.
Organised and delivered health programmes for residents.
Organised and delivered health programmes for residents.
Residents
Potential participants of wellness programmes
Potential participants of wellness programmes
Potential participants of wellness programmes
The Problem
The Problem
Addressing Operational Inefficiencies
Addressing Operational Inefficiencies
Addressing Operational Inefficiencies
Addressing Operational Inefficiencies
NHG’s workflows, while critical to its mission, faced significant inefficiencies that hindered engagement across all stakeholders. Although users could browse available programs through the NHG Care App, the underlying processes posed challenges for seamless operations.
NHG’s workflows, while critical to its mission, faced significant inefficiencies that hindered engagement across all stakeholders. Although users could browse available programs through the NHG Care App, the underlying processes posed challenges for seamless operations.
Existing Workflow Challenges
Existing Workflow Challenges
1
Limited Digital Access for Residents
Limited Digital Access for Residents
While the NHG Care App allowed residents to browse programs, it did not support digital sign-ups.
While the NHG Care App allowed residents to browse programs, it did not support digital sign-ups.
2
Manual updates by Community Partners
Manual updates by Community Partners
Partners lacked a dedicated platform to manage their offerings, relying on monthly Excel submissions and frequent coordination with NHG, which created significant inefficiencies.
Partners lacked a dedicated platform to manage their offerings, relying on monthly Excel submissions and frequent coordination with NHG, which created significant inefficiencies.
3
Inefficient CRM Data Entry by NHG Staff
Inefficient CRM Data Entry by NHG Staff
NHG staff manually compiled program schedules from multiple partners and input the data into an outdated CRM to publish offerings on the Care App, leading to inefficiencies and delays.
NHG staff manually compiled program schedules from multiple partners and input the data into an outdated CRM to publish offerings on the Care App, leading to inefficiencies and delays.
4
No CRM Access Due to Data Security
No CRM Access Due to Data Security
A common question arises: why not grant partners access to the CRM to manage their program offerings directly? The answer lies in safeguarding sensitive population data housed within the CRM. To maintain data security and privacy, access was strictly restricted to NHG staff.
A common question arises: why not grant partners access to the CRM to manage their program offerings directly? The answer lies in safeguarding sensitive population data housed within the CRM. To maintain data security and privacy, access was strictly restricted to NHG staff.
Why it’s important?
Why it’s important?
Why a Robust Solution was Necessary
Why a Robust Solution was Necessary
Why a Robust Solution was Necessary
Why a Robust Solution was Necessary
To achieve Healthier SG’s ambitious goals, NHG needed a centralised system that:
To achieve Healthier SG’s ambitious goals, NHG needed a centralised system that:
Streamlined program management for NHG and its partners
Streamlined program management for NHG and its partners
Empowered partners with self-service capabilities to manage their offering
Empowered partners with self-service capabilities to manage their offering
Simplified access to health and wellness programs, empowering residents to take charge of their health journey.
Simplified access to health and wellness programs, empowering residents to take charge of their health journey.
This initiative was not just about operational efficiency—it was about creating a meaningful impact on Singapore's community health by reducing friction in preventive healthcare delivery.
This initiative was not just about operational efficiency—it was about creating a meaningful impact on Singapore's community health by reducing friction in preventive healthcare delivery.
Research and Findings
Research and Findings
Uncovering Stakeholder Needs and System Requirements
Uncovering Stakeholder Needs and System Requirements
Uncovering Stakeholder Needs and System Requirements
Uncovering Stakeholder Needs and System Requirements
To better understand user needs and pain points, we conducted multiple requirement-gathering sessions with over 20 stakeholders, including NHG staff and community partners. Due to the project's scale and complexity, several follow-up sessions were necessary to refine requirements and address emerging challenges.
To better understand user needs and pain points, we conducted multiple requirement-gathering sessions with over 20 stakeholders, including NHG staff and community partners. Due to the project's scale and complexity, several follow-up sessions were necessary to refine requirements and address emerging challenges.
Key Insights
Key Insights
Programme Creation and Management
Partners needed a streamlined way to create or upload programmes and sessions directly to the Care App, with support for both individual and bulk uploads.
Partners needed a streamlined way to create or upload programmes and sessions directly to the Care App, with support for both individual and bulk uploads.
Flexibility to edit and update programme details, such as session times, capacity limits, and other key information, was critical.
Flexibility to edit and update programme details, such as session times, capacity limits, and other key information, was critical.
Restriction & Criteria
Partners requested options to restrict sign-ups based on criteria like planning area, postal code, or age to better serve their target communities.
Partners requested options to restrict sign-ups based on criteria like planning area, postal code, or age to better serve their target communities.
Auto-Check Mechanism
NHG stakeholders required a system to automatically verify programme details for accuracy and appropriateness before publishing them on the Care App.
NHG stakeholders required a system to automatically verify programme details for accuracy and appropriateness before publishing them on the Care App.
Attendance Management
Partners wanted the ability to handle sign-ups directly and track attendance efficiently.
Partners wanted the ability to handle sign-ups directly and track attendance efficiently.
Certificate of Completion
Partners intended to issue certificates of completion to residents who met specific session requirements, encouraging engagement and programme completion.
Partners intended to issue certificates of completion to residents who met specific session requirements, encouraging engagement and programme completion.
Programme Performance Insights
Analytics were needed to understand which programmes performed well, enabling partners to design offerings that aligned with residents’ preferences.
User Access Management
A robust system was required to manage multiple users within each partner centre, ensuring secure roles and permissions.
NHG necessitated distinct user roles with specific access levels, including Super Admin, Relationship Manager, CP Admin, and standard users, to maintain proper system management.
Knowledge Centre
Partners needed a central hub where NHG could share updates, rules, regulations, and requirements to ensure compliance and consistency.
Challenges
Challenges
Navigating Constraints and Complexities
Navigating Constraints and Complexities
Navigating Constraints and Complexities
Navigating Constraints and Complexities
After gathering requirements and understanding user needs, we uncovered several constraints and complexities that shaped the design and implementation process:
After gathering requirements and understanding user needs, we uncovered several constraints and complexities that shaped the design and implementation process:
Challenges
Challenges
1
Scope of Responsiblity
Our team will handled the community partner’s journey, focusing the programme management, and processing incoming signups.
Our team will handled the community partner’s journey, focusing the programme management, and processing incoming signups.
Resident-facing sign-ups occurred on the NHG Care App, requiring seamless data integration between systems.
Resident-facing sign-ups occurred on the NHG Care App, requiring seamless data integration between systems.
2
System Integration
All data had to be stored in the CRM due to strict security requirements
All data had to be stored in the CRM due to strict security requirements
This limitation heavily influenced the platform’s architecture and workflows, as no data could be stored locally on the new platform.
This limitation heavily influenced the platform’s architecture and workflows, as no data could be stored locally on the new platform.
3
Security Compliance
Role-based access controls were implemented to ensure sensitive data remained accessible only to authorised users.
Role-based access controls were implemented to ensure sensitive data remained accessible only to authorised users.
Balancing compliance and usability was critical to creating a secure yet user-friendly system.
Balancing compliance and usability was critical to creating a secure yet user-friendly system.
4
Complex User Roles
The platform needed to support multiple user tiers (e.g., Super Admin, Relationship Manager, CP Admin, and standard users), each with specific roles and permissions.
The platform needed to support multiple user tiers (e.g., Super Admin, Relationship Manager, CP Admin, and standard users), each with specific roles and permissions.
5
Dependency on Legacy Systems
Integration with an outdated CRM system introduced technical challenges, requiring close collaboration with NHG’s technical team to maintain data consistency and accuracy.
Integration with an outdated CRM system introduced technical challenges, requiring close collaboration with NHG’s technical team to maintain data consistency and accuracy.
Define the Problem
Define the Problem
Clarifying the Challenge: Problem Statement and Key Questions
Clarifying the Challenge:
Problem Statement and Key Questions
Clarifying the Challenge:
Problem Statement and Key Questions
Clarifying the Challenge:
Problem Statement and Key Questions
Based on these findings, I developed a problem statement and framed a How Might We (HMW) question to better align with the user’s goals and needs, creating a strong foundation for design solutions.
Based on these findings, I developed a problem statement and framed a How Might We (HMW) question to better align with the user’s goals and needs, creating a strong foundation for design solutions.
Competitor Analysis
Competitor Analysis
To inform the design strategy, I analysed platforms with similar offerings, including ClassPass and TeamUp.
To inform the design strategy, I analysed platforms with similar offerings, including ClassPass and TeamUp.
ClassPass
Allows studio owners to plan class schedules for customer sign-ups, providing insights into seamless scheduling and user-friendly registration flows
Allows studio owners to plan class schedules for customer sign-ups, providing insights into seamless scheduling and user-friendly registration flows
TeamUp
Offers robust features like class creation, attendance tracking, and registration deadlines, highlighting efficient program management and administrative controls.
Offers robust features like class creation, attendance tracking, and registration deadlines, highlighting efficient program management and administrative controls.
Design Process
Design Process
Mapping Out the Application Flow
Mapping Out the Application Flow
Mapping Out the Application Flow
Mapping Out the Application Flow
Given the integration between three systems (NHG Care App, CRM, and our platform), I began by mapping out the user journey across all systems. This exercise:
Given the integration between three systems (NHG Care App, CRM, and our platform), I began by mapping out the user journey across all systems. This exercise:
Clarified which parts of the journey were handled by our platform versus the CRM and Care App.
Clarified which parts of the journey were handled by our platform versus the CRM and Care App.
Identified touchpoints for integration, ensuring smooth data flow.
Identified touchpoints for integration, ensuring smooth data flow.
Facilitated clear communication with backend developers to evaluate design feasibility and define responsibilities for data handlings.
Facilitated clear communication with backend developers to evaluate design feasibility and define responsibilities for data handlings.
Creation of Programme and Sessions
Processing Resident Signup - Attendance Marking - Certificate of Completion
Processing Resident Signup
Analysing CRM and User Behavior
Analysing CRM and User Behavior
I analysed how data was stored in the CRM and observed user behaviour when creating programs. One key insight was that programs often had recurring schedules, resembling a parent-child relationship:
I analysed how data was stored in the CRM and observed user behaviour when creating programs. One key insight was that programs often had recurring schedules, resembling a parent-child relationship:
Program (Parent): Represents the main activity (e.g. Yoga Class)
Program (Parent): Represents the main activity (e.g. Yoga Class)
Sessions (Child): Represents individual occurrences (e.g., Weekly Yoga Sessions).
Sessions (Child): Represents individual occurrences (e.g., Weekly Yoga Sessions).
With this understanding, I designed the platform to support this hierarchical structure, accommodating recurring schedules while adhering to CRM storage constraints.
With this understanding, I designed the platform to support this hierarchical structure, accommodating recurring schedules while adhering to CRM storage constraints.
Wireframes and User Flows
Wireframes and User Flows
Based on these insights, I:
Based on these insights, I:
Developed wireframes to visualise the key workflows, including program creation, session management and sign-up processing.
Developed wireframes to visualise the key workflows, including program creation, session management and sign-up processing.
Mapped user flows to ensure the platform’s features aligned with user needs and system constraints.
Mapped user flows to ensure the platform’s features aligned with user needs and system constraints.
Programme & Sessions
Prototyping and Feedback
Prototyping and Feedback
Before each sprint, we conducted meetings with NHG to present the planned work to the Product Owner and key stakeholders, including NHG staff, community partners, and CRM representatives.
Before each sprint, we conducted meetings with NHG to present the planned work to the Product Owner and key stakeholders, including NHG staff, community partners, and CRM representatives.
Using their feedback, we iterated on the designs, refining workflows to improve usability and address technical constraints, ensuring the solution aligned with stakeholder needs and expectations.
Using their feedback, we iterated on the designs, refining workflows to improve usability and address technical constraints, ensuring the solution aligned with stakeholder needs and expectations.
Testing and Iterations
Testing and Iterations
Implementing the Feedback
Implementing the Feedback
Implementing the Feedback
Implementing the Feedback
To ensure that the feature are developed correctly to the specified requirements, I undertook the responsibility to conduct Quality Assurance on the development on each sprint as well as helping in conducting User Acceptance Testing, to ensure the expected functionality and behaviour for each feature based on the requirements outlined during the sprint planning phase.
To ensure that the feature are developed correctly to the specified requirements, I undertook the responsibility to conduct Quality Assurance on the development on each sprint as well as helping in conducting User Acceptance Testing, to ensure the expected functionality and behaviour for each feature based on the requirements outlined during the sprint planning phase.
QA and UAT Phases
QA and UAT Phases
Conducted multiple rounds of testing to validate functionality and integration.
Conducted multiple rounds of testing to validate functionality and integration.
Ensured the platform met NHG’s security requirements
Ensured the platform met NHG’s security requirements
Adjustments During Testing
Adjustments During Testing
Simplified program management workflows for better usability and reduced complexity.
Simplified program management workflows for better usability and reduced complexity.
Enabled walk-in session registrations and QR code check-ins, reducing partner workload for attendance tracking and accommodating users without the NHG Care App.
Enabled walk-in session registrations and QR code check-ins, reducing partner workload for attendance tracking and accommodating users without the NHG Care App.
Refined role-based access controls to enhance security and align permissions with organizational needs.
Refined role-based access controls to enhance security and align permissions with organizational needs.
Improved audit logs for comprehensive tracking and compliance coverage.
Improved audit logs for comprehensive tracking and compliance coverage.
Enhanced user access management, including 2FA reset options and stricter role and access limits per organization.
Enhanced user access management, including 2FA reset options and stricter role and access limits per organization.
Optimised the analytics dashboard for clearer data visualisation and actionable insights.
Optimised the analytics dashboard for clearer data visualisation and actionable insights.
The Solution
A Unified Platform for Smarter Community Health Management and Seamless Integration.
A Unified Platform for Smarter Community Health Management and Seamless Integration.
A Unified Platform for Smarter Community Health Management and Seamless Integration.
A Unified Platform for Smarter Community Health Management and Seamless Integration.
A streamlined Community Health Management platform designed to empower Community Partners with tools to manage programs, sessions, sign-ups, and attendance—while reducing manual workload for NHG Staff and enabling Residents to seamlessly register via the NHG Care App. The platform simplifies workflows, improves oversight, and provides actionable insights through data analytics.
A streamlined Community Health Management platform designed to empower Community Partners with tools to manage programs, sessions, sign-ups, and attendance—while reducing manual workload for NHG Staff and enabling Residents to seamlessly register via the NHG Care App. The platform simplifies workflows, improves oversight, and provides actionable insights through data analytics.
Program & Session Management
Program & Session Management
Create, update, and manage programs and recurring schedules with bulk upload support.
Resident Sign-Up and Attendance Tracking:
Resident Sign-Up and Attendance Tracking:
Integrated with the NHG Care App for direct sign-ups and efficient attendance tracking through QR codes and walk-in registration.
Certificates of Completion:
Certificates of Completion:
Automates issuance of certificates to encourage engagement and recognise participant achievements.
Customisable Analytics Dashboard:
Customisable Analytics Dashboard:
Provides performance insights, attendance trends, and participant engagement metrics to support data-driven decisions.
Knowledge Repository and Communication:
Knowledge Repository and Communication:
Central hub for NHG updates, guidelines, and resources to ensure partners remain informed and compliant.
Role-Based Access Control
Role-Based Access Control
Multi-tiered roles and permissions to ensure secure access and proper oversight for both partners and NHG staff.
Outcome and Learning
Outcome and Learning
Results and Key Takeaways
Results and Key Takeaways
Results and Key Takeaways
Results and Key Takeaways
Outcomes
Since its launch in April 2024, the NHG Cares Partners Portal has onboarded 20+ community partners and automated over 400 programs across 100 sites in Central and North Singapore. It enhances care accessibility and efficiency by enabling partners to manage health and wellness programs seamlessly. The portal also lays the groundwork for improved care continuity through shared services, referrals, and social prescribing. Future plans include integrating digital trust technologies to enhance data security and healthcare interoperability.
What I Learned
Building a multi-system application required clear communication with stakeholders to define data flows, integration points, and ensure smooth execution. Establishing a scalable user access framework early on prevented costly refactoring later in development.
This project reinforced the importance of managing complexity, aligning stakeholder needs, and designing for scalability. I’m proud that the platform received positive feedback and streamlined workflows, supporting NHG’s mission to promote healthier lifestyles.
