Hope House is a nonprofit free medical clinic serving patients who don't have health insurance. The clinic is an extremely beneficial service to the people of Big Rapids, MI and the surrounding areas, especially since Mecosta County is the 3rd poorest county in Michigan.
The main problem Hope House faces is brand awareness. With no website, a secluded building, and no easily-accessed public information, residents of Big Rapids that need Hope House's services don't even know the clinic exists.
Our biggest challenge was getting information from current users to figure out their pain points. With HIPAA Privacy Rules, we weren't able to speak directly with patients. Luckily, the Hope House board members allowed us to sit in on a board meeting, and we learned about pain points and patient struggles through their conversations.
Survey Research
Through a qualitative survey and with speaking to Hope House Volunteers, we found out important information about Hope House and the patients that visit the clinic:
• Many patients have smartphones, not computers
• Patients are frequently nervous about asking for help
• Community partnerships with other organizations are crucial
• Hope House is a faith-based organization
Everyone that works at Hope House is a volunteer medical professional, so we knew the brand had to feel even more welcoming and friendly than a typical healthcare brand. We created brochures to be placed at partnering organizations, launched a mobile-first website, and created an entire brand identity to let Hope House shine.
