Patient journeys are the current your product must flow with, not against

Building a medical device or a healthtech product is like setting sail. You might have a powerful engine (your technology) and a brilliant crew (your team), but if you don't understand the currents and tides of the patient journey, you risk drifting.

What exactly is a patient journey map and why do I need it?

A patient journey map is a structured, visual outline of the various stages a patient experiences for a specific health condition. This isn't your typical product journey or sales funnel. It focuses on the lived experience of the patient, from the first inkling of a symptom to ongoing support.

Why is this crucial? Because it helps you:

• Align product features: Ensure your solution addresses real pain points at the right time.

• Optimise user experience: Design interactions that seamlessly integrate into existing patient behaviours.

• Map key stakeholders: Identify who influences decisions at each stage, from clinicians to caregivers.

• Refine market sizing: Understand the true total addressable market (TAM), serviceable available market (SAM), and serviceable obtainable market (SOM) by understanding patient flow and touchpoints. For more on this, have a look at the previous blog post.

The 5 key stages in a patient journey

While each condition has its own nuances and every patient journey is unique, most patient journeys contain some version of the following. Let's explore these stages using the digital GLP-1 companion from my previous post as a practical example:

1. Awareness or onset: This is where a patient might first notice a sign or symptom like weight gain or fatigue, or be informed by their GP about pre-diabetes risks. For a GLP-1 companion, this stage might involve understanding how patients initially perceive their need for weight management or diabetes control.

2. Engagement with the health system: The patient's initial interaction with care might involve a visit of their GP, a pharmacist, or even search for information online. Our GLP-1 companion might consider how patients first interact with healthcare providers about weight loss, or perhaps where they seek initial information about GLP-1 medications.

3. Diagnosis or treatment decision point: This is where a formal diagnosis occurs or a treatment decision is made. For our example, this is typically when the patient is prescribed GLP-1s by their doctor. This is a critical point for the digital companion: Does it integrate with the prescribing process? Is it introduced at the point of decision?

4. Treatment or intervention: The patient begins their prescribed treatment. Here, the digital GLP-1 companion becomes vital. This is when they need behaviour-change support for diet, exercise, and medication adherence. The journey map would detail their daily routine, potential side effects, and the psychological aspects of adhering to a new regimen.

5. Ongoing support and monitoring: This stage involves follow-up appointments, managing side effects, and maintaining long-term adherence. Understanding this stage helps identify what triggers drop-off or poor adherence. Does the patient lose motivation? Do they lack ongoing dietary advice? Is there a need for peer support or reminders?

How to build a patient journey for your solution:

To construct an effective patient journey map, consider this following to help you team think more clearly:

• Surface: These are the visible symptoms, risks, or triggers the patient recognises. What makes them seek help or information?

• Depth: This is where the real needs live. The underlying emotions, the practical barriers (e.g., cost, access), clinical realities, and the behaviours that influence their journey.

• Flow: Map out the hand-offs between different parts of the system. This could be from a GP to a specialist, a specialist to a pharmacy, or a pharmacy to a digital tool. Where do patients get lost or fall through the cracks?

• Buoys: These represent the critical intervention points where your solution can make a tangible impact. Where can your product "float" and provide the most value?

This framework helps teams to stay focused on fit, not just features.

Use cases: Why journey mapping fuels smarter strategy

Beyond product development, patient journey mapping can be a powerful strategic tool:

• Refines your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and target segment: Understand not just who your patient is, but when and how they need your solution.

• Identifies where clinical partnerships matter most: Pinpoint the healthcare professionals or organisations who are critical at specific junctures.

• Clarifies where in the system you need to integrate: Determine if your product needs to connect with electronic health records, pharmacy systems, or other digital tools.

• Helps with regulatory or commissioning strategy: Understand how your solution fits within frameworks like NICE guidelines or the priorities of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and other payers.

Find the current before you swim

Health systems are complicated. Patient experiences are rarely linear. But that’s all the more reason to be intentional. Mapping the patient journey helps you avoid building in isolation. It grounds your strategy in empathy and systems thinking. And it reveals where your product is most likely to be adopted and not just imagined.