Onboarding Survey

My Role: UX Researcher | dec 2022

Overview

The Optum onboarding team wanted to understand more information about individuals who have recently onboarded to a new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM). This work was done prior to the usability study on the two current onboarding sites. By using this survey data and findings from the usability study the team was able to create a new onboarding site which was tested in July of 2023.

Terms to know

• Feedback loop = third party survey platform

• Optum = American healthcare services provider with business interests encompassing technology and related services, pharmacy care services and various direct healthcare services and subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group

• PBM = Pharmacy Benefit Manager

• (n=#) = sample symbol for the number of participants of the full user group that represent the finding

Methodology & Participants

Research METHODOLOGY

• Research method: user interview and usability testing

• 5 hourly employee participants from a variety of companies

• 1-hour sessions via Zoom joined from the participant’s mobile device

• Evaluated two prototypes

• Part 1: punching-in using GPS tracking

• Part 2: using augmented reality to find a punch-in location for a shift

Participants

• 41 qualifying participants took twelve survey questions via Feedback Loop

Recruiting criteria

• Employment: Screen out participants who work in (1) Medicine (2) Pharmaceutical (3) Medical Devices (4) Health Insurance (5) Software / Website Design (6) Market Research

• Prescriptions: Participants must take 1 or more prescriptions on an ongoing basis 

• Digital: Participants must either (1) access health insurance information online and/or (2) manage their prescriptions online

• Age: 25-75 years old

• Geographic location: All US States

• Health insurance: Employer health insurance, Spouse’s employer health insurance, Private individual/family plan health insurance, Medicare

Background & Introduction​ Questions

Q1: Who is your current pharmacy benefit manager (PBM), or which company manages your prescription drug benefits?

Q2: How long have you had your current pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)?

Q3: Imagine it’s October 2022, and your employer just sent you an email saying you will be switching to a new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) starting January 1, 2023. How would you feel? Select all that apply.

PBM Website Questions

Q4: Imagine there a website you can access before getting access to your new prescription drug benefits in January. The website contains information about the new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) that will be managing your prescription drug benefits for the upcoming year. What kind of information do you expect to see on that website?

• Majority of the survey participants thought they would be able to see a list of their current prescriptions and what the new cost would be​

• If their medications are not covered then they expected that to be clearly stated along with the price​

• A few thought there would be contact information and generic information about the new PBM

Q5: How useful would you find the following information and online tools when onboarding with a new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) for the upcoming year? Please rank the following features, 1 being the most useful to 9 being the least useful

1 being the most useful to 9 being the least​

1. A way to check whether my medications are covered, or equivalent is available​

2. Ability to compare medication prices across pharmacy options​

3. Understand options available for getting my medication(s), for example, at a pharmacy or having them shipped​

4. To-do checklist to understand what I need to do before enrollment​

5. Pharmacy locator to find the closest in-network pharmacy​

6. Understanding the different medication tiers the provider has to offer​

7. Communication preference center to update the way I would like to be contacted​

8. Frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the new pharmacy benefit manager (PBM)​

9. Ability to set-up an appointment with an onboarding specialist

Q6: Thinking about your top ranked choice from the prior question, tell us why you chose that as the most useful?  ​

• Majority of the survey participants mentioned knowing if their medication are covered is important because:​

  • First thing they would want to know and see when interacting with a new PBM​

  • Price or cost was seen as the ‘top factor’ ​

  • Understanding if they could afford the medication they are currently taking ​

  • Wanted visibility into if they would need to change their medication ​

Q7: If the following actions were available to you on a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) onboarding site how important would they be? Please rank the following features, 1 being the most important to 7 being the least important

1 being the most important to 7 being the least​ important

1. View my prescription drug list​

2. Compare my medication prices across different pharmacy options​

3. Find the closest in-network pharmacy​

4. View my claims and benefit information​

5. Setting up home delivery of my prescriptions​

6. Submit or track a prior authorization request (or request sent to your provider/doctor)​

7. Manage my communication preferences​

Q8: Thinking about your top ranked choice from the prior question, tell us why you choose that as the most important? ​

•  Seeing their prescription drug list was where the participants wanted to start ​

• Location and cost of their medications was important when looking up pharmacy locations​

• A few mentioned they would look into home delivery because it looked 'interesting' and that they would want to enroll in this​

Personal Information Questions

Q9: When choosing benefits from upcoming year, have you every provided a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) with personal information prior to enrollment in the program. For example name, address, date of brith, etc.?

Q10: When it comes to proving personal information to a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) website prior to enrollment, how comfortable do you feel?

Q11: What situation, if any, would make you more comfortable with entering in personal information?

1 being the most important to 10 being the least​

1. Confidence my data is safe and will not be shared or sold​

2. Ability to compare medication prices across pharmacy options​

3. View my medication history or claims​

4. Understand what prescriptions are covered by my insurance and how much I will pay out of pocket​

5. Quicker access to receiving my medication, once enrolled​

6. Setting up home delivery of prescriptions​

7. Submit and track a prior authorization (or request sent to your provider/doctor)​

8. Access to personalized help​

9. Take actions on items that prevent me from using my insurance to fill my prescription​

10. Pharmacy Locator tool to find the closest in-network pharmacy​

Communication Preferences

Q12: What is your preferred method of communication when it comes to receiving personal updates from your pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) during the enrollment period? 

Q13: Which of the following would you set on communication settings from your pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) website?

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