DME Station Website Redesign

Background

DME Station was a home medical equipment provider supplying diabetes-related equipment to patients through Medicare and supplemental insurance programs. Because eligibility, coverage, and ongoing qualification are tightly regulated, the website played a much larger role than simply listing information. It often determined whether patients understood how to receive and continue their care.

I originally joined DME Station as a data entry specialist, working directly with patient records, insurance documentation, and qualification workflows. Being so close to day-to-day operations gave me a clear view into where things were breaking down. Patients called in frequently with the same questions, shipments were delayed due to misunderstood eligibility requirements, and the small, internal team spent a significant amount of time compensating for gaps in the website.

Over time, it became clear that these issues weren’t isolated incidents, they were symptoms of a larger UX problem. The website wasn’t giving patients the clarity they needed, and that lack of clarity was creating real consequences for both patients and the business. I initiated the website redesign after recognizing this as a systemic risk and defining an opportunity to improve outcomes through better information design.

The Problem

The existing website contained outdated and incomplete information. Patients couldn’t easily tell what equipment was offered and when, what parts of Medicare were accepted, or what steps were required to continue receiving supplies. For patients managing a chronic condition, this uncertainty led to frustration, lapses in care, and an overreliance on customer support for basic questions.

Constraints

Working within the limited timeframe of a month, the budget, and technical constraints, I focused on changes that would deliver the greatest clarity for users while remaining feasible within the existing system.

Goals

The goal of this project wasn’t to visually polish the site alone. It was to make the experience clearer, more dependable, and easier to navigate for people who were often already overwhelmed.

From a business perspective:

• Reduce avoidable support calls by answering common questions upfront

• Set clear expectations around Medicare eligibility and coverage

• Improve onboarding efficiency and trust

From a patient perspective:

• Quickly understand what equipment is available

• Know whether they qualify and what steps to take next

• Feel informed and supported while navigating their care

Success was measured by whether users could understand key information faster and with less effort. We defined success around improved comprehension of equipment availability and eligibility, clearer navigation, stronger accessibility and readability, and reduced reliance on customer support for basic informational tasks.

Research Summary

I ran usability testing on the existing website to understand where patients were getting stuck and why. The research showed that most information was technically present, but poorly organized. Users struggled to form a complete picture of what the company offered or whether they qualified, largely due to unclear hierarchy and discoverability.

Without changes, these breakdowns would continue to cause confusion, missed steps, and unnecessary strain on support teams.

Key Insights

• Patients cared far more about understanding coverage, eligibility, and process than promotional messaging.

• Clear hierarchy, readability, and contrast helped establish trust in a medical context.

• Navigation reflected internal structure rather than how patients thought about their needs.

• The homepage needed to quickly answer three questions: Do you supply what I need? Do I qualify? What do I do next?

Competitive Perspective

I reviewed comparable DME and healthcare websites to understand how similar companies reduced uncertainty for patients. The strongest examples surfaced trust signals early such as accepted insurance types, accreditation, testimonials, and clear process explanations. Contact information was consistently easy to find, and footers were treated as structured navigation tools rather than an afterthought.

Design Direction

The redesign focused on simplifying the homepage, restructuring information architecture around patient mental models, and making eligibility requirements visible early in the experience. Accessibility and readability were treated as foundational elements to reinforce trust and comprehension.

Collaboration & Leadership

I led the UX strategy end-to-end and worked closely with a secondary design team during execution. I translated research findings into clear direction through annotated iterations, IA documentation, and regular critiques grounded in usability evidence. This kept the team aligned and reduced subjective decision-making.

Outcomes

Although the company closed before post-launch analytics could be collected, usability testing confirmed that the redesign clarified user pathways, reduced ambiguity around eligibility and equipment access, and aligned the organization around a more patient-first digital experience.

Reflection

This project reflects how I approach senior UX work: staying close to real problems, identifying risk early, defining success before design begins, and using research to guide teams and decisions, especially in regulated environments where clarity directly affects real people.