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Mental Health Self-Referral Platform

Mental Health Self-Referral Platform

Case Study

Mental health services in New Zealand are currently experiencing record demand. Public wait-lists for ADHD and related assessments exceed 12 months in major centres, while private options remain fragmented and opaque.

Patients face multiple barriers in accessing care:

  • No single place to see which providers are accepting new referrals.
  • No public-facing directory of specialists – GPs have access to one, but patients do not.
  • User-generated lists exist but are scattered and unofficial.
  • Filling out the same intake forms multiple times.
  • Lack of status updates, creating anxiety and drop-off.
"I sent three referral emails and never heard back. I can't tell if I'm in a queue or just ignored." – Primary research participant, age 32
Figma User Research Journey Mapping User Flows Prototyping Wireframes UI Desktop Mobile

User Research

Methodology: semi-structured interviews with patients seeking ADHD or related mental health assessments, plus desk research on Ministry of Health service data.

Personas created:

  • "Ella" – ADHD adult seeking first assessment
  • "Injae" – parent supporting teen through referral
  • "Spencer" – patient with prior misdiagnosis navigating next steps

Research Insights

Barrier Evidence Opportunity
Wait-lists Users were often left in the dark after submitting a referral. Build a real-time capacity indicator with patient-facing updates.
Duplicate forms Wasted time spent re-entering history per provider. One master intake form that follows the patient.
No directory Users rely on GPs or shared spreadsheets to find providers. Leverage and centralise crowdsourced directories into a patient-friendly platform. Use existing GP-access directories where possible.

Ideation & Brainstorming

  1. Unified patient-centred intake – single smart form usable across providers.
  2. Progress tracker – show referral status and next steps in one dashboard.
  3. AI support agent – helps gather background info from notes/emails.
  4. Post-diagnosis toolkit – reminders, subsidy options, coping resources.

Prioritisation (MoSCoW + Feasibility):

Idea Value Effort Decision
Unified intake High Med ✅ MVP
Progress tracker High Med ✅ MVP
AI agent High High Explore R&D
Toolkit Med Med Future phase

Solution

A self-service referral platform that:

  1. Lets users complete one smart intake in under 8 minutes.
  2. Shows only clinics accepting referrals based on filters (e.g. telehealth, age group, medication).
  3. Auto-sends referral + documents.
  4. Sends SMS/email updates, reducing patient uncertainty and drop-off.

Leverages existing systems:

  • Integrates with the same provider directories already used by GPs – no new API build required.
  • Can import and consolidate information from existing user-generated lists.
Outcome (usability pilot – 3 weeks)
  • 9/10 testers preferred the platform over emailing clinics manually.
  • All participants said they would recommend it to a friend.
  • Participants cited reduced stress and improved clarity on "what happens next."

Reflection & Next Steps

  • What worked: clear intake UX, centralised platform.
  • Improvements: offer pathway for GP co-referral.
  • Roadmap: explore provider-side portal; integrate with existing health records or pharmacy systems; live progress tracker; optional pre-screening questionnaire.