My Patients Broke It (Round 1). Here’s What They Taught Me.
I handed my patients a test version of my new portal and asked them to be brutal. They were.
Behind the scenes. No gatekeeping. Watch me cry. Cheer me on.
Last time, I told you I built my own patient portal on a Saturday night. Ginger ale, hold the Tito’s. Zero coding experience. Big dreams.
Here’s what I didn’t tell you: building it was the easy part.
The hard part? Handing it to real people and saying, “Be brutal. Break it. On purpose.”
Inning 1I asked for it. They delivered.
Before a single real patient touches this thing, I gave a handful of patients (and friends) a test login. Fake names, fake numbers, a big “DEMO MODE” banner across the top. The real thing, minus anything real.
I didn’t want polite. I wanted the truth. So the very first thing they saw was a note from me that basically said: think of this as couples therapy. I can take it. What can I do to make us work better?
Reader, they took me at my word.
Inning 2Lesson 1: The relationship is the product
One of my longtime patients logged in, looked around, and texted me (of course she texted me):
“I really like it. But you should have your text-me button front and center. The relationship is why people stay.”
She was right. I had buried the most important button on the screen under a menu of “features.” Like a restaurant hiding the bread.
So now, the first thing you see when you open the app is a big red card: Text Stacy. Always an option. Always me.
The app handles the little stuff. Texting me is never going away. That was never the deal.
Inning 3Lesson 2: Nobody wants to scroll back to 1985
The birthday question. Who knew a birthday could be controversial?
I tested two versions: the classic dropdowns (month, day, then scroll… scroll… scroll for the year) versus just typing it in.
Typing won. Not even close. My own vote? Scrolling past every year of your life to find your birth year is a brutal slap of reality in the face. Hard pass.
Now you just type the numbers. The slashes fill themselves in. Done in two seconds, with your dignity intact.
Inning 4Lesson 3: Make it easy to read
My tester JC said the words were a little light and a little small. Fair. Most of you read this on a phone, in a parked car, in terrible lighting.
Therelationshipiswhypeoplestay.
Inning 5Lesson 4: The cybersecurity guy found the stuff I missed
Remember the patient from Episode 1 who said my website felt like picking from a menu? He tested the app too, and sent me a full report. Because of course he did.
He flagged things I would never have caught:
- The photo. The picture on the login screen was me, very glam, on a lounge chair. His point, said with love: some patients struggle with body image, and that’s not who you want greeting them on a health app. So I swapped it for me laughing. Being myself. Much better.
- The pharmacy. Lots of my patients use two: one for compounded meds and one for everything else. Now you can save both, and pick one when you ask for a refill. No more me texting you “which pharmacy again?”
- The mystery phone number. My website listed an office line and a fax with zero explanation. Now it says exactly who it’s for: pharmacies, labs and other doctors’ offices. Patients? Text my cell.
And then he wrote the part I’ll be framing:
“Is it worth it? 100%. It’s more professional than just a text. Once patients get used to this, I personally think that it will be a tremendous time-saver… do not abandon this now.”
Noted. Not abandoning it.
Inning 6What else changed
Every round of feedback made it better. A few more things that exist now because someone said “this is confusing” or “I wish”:
- One page or one question at a time? I asked. Most of you want everything on one page, so you can see all your answers at once. That’s the default now (and you can still switch).
- “Should I text Stacy?” Tap what’s going on (sinus, stomach bug, a rash, a high blood pressure reading) and in about 30 seconds you know: text me, ride it out at home, or get help now.
- An emergency card. Your allergies and my cell number on your phone’s lock screen and a wallet card, made right on your phone. Because ER nurses don’t have time to guess.
Inning 7The part where I cry a little
Here’s what I didn’t expect. Even the testers who poked the most holes ended with some version of “keep going.”
Building something with your name on it is terrifying. Letting people you care about tear it apart is worse. Hearing that they want it anyway? That’s the good stuff.
This was round one. More patients are getting their test logins right now. Round two is coming, and I already know they’re going to find stuff.
