Crafting Pharmacy and Medical Mobile Apps | Expert UI/UX Insights - A case study

Explore how Genericart is transforming healthcare access with innovative digital solutions, focusing on user-friendly design and affordability.

"The Untold Story of Indian Pharma :

With India ranking among the highest in per capita out-of-pocket healthcare expenditures, at nearly 62% compared to the global average of 18%, the demand for generic medicines is crucial. India's "Jan Aushadhi" initiative, launched in 2008 to provide affordable, quality unbranded medicines, has grown from 80 stores in 2014 to 3,200 stores today. However, this still falls short compared to the over 800,000 retail pharmacies, leaving many rural areas underserved. Generic drugs in India can cost 30% to 90% less than branded ones, with average prices around INR 20 compared to INR 150 for branded equivalents. Amendments to the Medical Council of India's code of conduct, promoting generic prescriptions, signal potential future mandates to enhance medication accessibility and affordability, potentially saving billions in healthcare costs annually.

Genericart - Meeting the Rising Demand ?

Genericart stands at the forefront of India's healthcare revolution, addressing critical gaps in medicine access. Operating successfully in over 8 states, it serves 8.5 million satisfied customers with a catalog of 5,000+ government-approved medicines. Through its franchise model, Genericart has generated over 10,000 jobs nationwide and is poised to expand with new stores across India in the coming year. To support this growth, Genericart seeks experienced sales professionals to fill over 2,000 district-level business openings and more than 1,000 pharmacist positions nationwide, aiming to enhance healthcare accessibility for all Indians.

Opportunities for Genericart :

Having successfully opened over 1,000 stores across various states in India, Genericart is on a mission to meet medicinal needs while creating awareness about generic medicines. This mission not only aims to provide affordable medicines but also to generate employment opportunities through business partnerships. To further expand its reach, Genericart recognizes the need for an app to connect with millions of people.

Problem Statement

Genericart faced significant challenges in creating a unique and effective User Interface (UI) that would cater to a diverse user base. The issues encountered include:

• Age Group Usability: Difficulty in designing a UI that is user-friendly across various age groups.
• Appealing Design for Digital Illiteracy: Challenges in making an appealing UI for individuals with limited digital literacy.
• Accessibility vs. Appeal: Struggling to create a UI that is both accessible to a broad audience and visually appealing.
• Medication Reminders: Inability to design a UI that easily reminds users to take their medications in advance.
• Highlighting Effectiveness and Affordability: Difficulty in making the UI show how effective and affordable generic medicines are.
• In-App Purchases: Inability to create a UI that allows users to purchase medicines directly through the app.

Despite the seemingly endless list of problems, we listened attentively and collaborated closely with Genericart. We analyzed each issue step by step. After an enormous amount of research and thoughtful consideration, we developed a comprehensive solution to tackle all these challenges.

Our Solution

We developed a comprehensive UI solution for Genericart through a series of brainstorming sessions, ensuring accessibility for every person in India, regardless of age, socioeconomic status, or geographical location. Here’s how we tackled each problem systematically :

First the Wireframe :

• Seamless Onboarding Process: Designed an intuitive login process followed by a series of verification and authentication steps. Upon successful verification, users are directed to the homepage of the app.
• Home Page Features:

1. Price Comparison: A saving calculator helps users understand price distribution and the amount of money saved.
2. Health Consultation: Users can consult with expert doctors, get prescriptions for generic medicines, and analyze if they are suitable substitutes for branded medicines by uploading pictures of branded prescriptions.
3. Medication Reminders: Users can set reminders to take their medicines, which is particularly useful for those with busy schedules.
4. In-App Marketplace: After consultations, users are directed to a marketplace where they can purchase over 5,000 generic medicines, along with other essential healthcare and lifestyle products at discounted prices

• Checkout Process: After selecting products, users are taken to the checkout page where they fill in basic information to comply with government guidelines for prescribed medicines. Upon completing the purchase, users are redirected to the home page to continue exploring other helpful options in the app.

This overall flow ensures a seamless onboarding experience and guides users through the entire process efficiently.

Services Offered

At Hybrid Inks Studio (HIS), we undertook the challenge of enhancing Genericart's user interface (UI) to create a seamless and engaging digital experience. Our approach focused on meticulous UI Design and Visual Design tailored to meet the specific needs of diverse user demographics. Through iterative Prototyping and Wireframing, we crafted intuitive interfaces that prioritize Accessibility and ensure a consistent Responsive Design across various devices. By implementing Interaction Design principles, we optimized user interactions and navigation pathways, enhancing usability and user satisfaction.

Using Information Architecture, we structured content and functionality to streamline user journeys and facilitate easy access to critical features such as Price Comparison, Medication Reminders, and an In-App Marketplace for purchasing over 5,000 generic medicines and healthcare products. Our process included A/B Testing and careful consideration of User Feedback to refine design elements based on practical insights and UI/UX Best Practices.

By focusing on enhancing User Engagement through strategic UI/UX Design, we ensured that Genericart's platform not only meets but exceeds user expectations, supporting their mission to provide accessible and affordable healthcare solutions nationwide. At HIS, our commitment to delivering robust UI Design solutions has been instrumental in transforming Genericart's digital interface into a user-friendly and visually appealing platform, effectively bridging the gap in the distribution of generic medicines.

Go, check out the app now.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.autoqed.genericartmedicine&hl=en&pli=1