WebMD/Medscape Simulation Platform

Medscape provides medical news, reference, and accredited continuing medical education to their global member base of nearly 700,000 physicans. The centerpiece of their CME resources is the patient simulation platform.
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Medscape Patient Simulations provide an interactive case-based approach to clinical decision-making. Physicians engage in dynamic video interviews, perform tests, receive real-time results and clinical guidance, and make diagnoses and select treatments.

Over the course of 6 months, we executed a comprehensive UI redesign, based on the results of dozens of user interviews and moderated tests. The problem we discovered was that many physicians have no desire to participate in continuing education; They just want the credits. We needed to keep them engaged, not only for their own benefit, but so Medscape could demonstrate effectiveness to supporters.

The solution was conceptually straightforward: Remove all superfluous design and content, ask the user to do one thing at a time, and - perhaps most importantly - create genuinely engaging video interviews. Best practices, with a dash of Hollywood.

Initial results bore out this approach, with a dramatic reduction in drop-offs and increase in intentional engagement. Further assessment is ongoing via user interviews and session recordings.

Design team: Collin Scott, Jose Gonzalez