Should University Health Network prioritize expanding its telemedicine services to reach more remote patients or focus on enhancing in-person care quality at its existing facilities?

Introduction

The University Health Network faces a critical decision: expand telemedicine services to reach remote patients or enhance in-person care quality at existing facilities. This trade-off involves balancing accessibility with quality improvement, potentially impacting patient outcomes, operational efficiency, and resource allocation. I'll analyze this decision through the lens of product strategy, considering user needs, technical feasibility, and business impact.

Step 1

Clarifying Questions (3 minutes)

• Context: I'm thinking about the current healthcare landscape and UHN's position. Could you share more about UHN's market share and competitive positioning?

Why it matters: Helps understand the strategic importance of this decision. Expected answer: UHN is a leading healthcare provider with significant market share. Impact: High market share might favor enhancing existing facilities, while lower share could prioritize expansion.

• Business Context: Based on healthcare trends, I assume telemedicine is a growing revenue stream. How does telemedicine currently contribute to UHN's overall revenue?

Why it matters: Indicates the financial impact of expanding telemedicine. Expected answer: Telemedicine contributes a moderate but growing percentage of revenue. Impact: Higher contribution would strengthen the case for telemedicine expansion.

• User Impact: Considering patient demographics, I'm curious about the proportion of UHN's patient base in remote areas. What percentage of patients have limited access to in-person care?

Why it matters: Helps quantify the potential impact of telemedicine expansion. Expected answer: A significant minority (15-25%) have limited access. Impact: Higher percentage would favor telemedicine expansion.

• Technical: Thinking about infrastructure, what's the current state of UHN's telemedicine platform? Is it scalable to handle significant expansion?

Why it matters: Determines the feasibility and cost of telemedicine expansion. Expected answer: Platform is moderately scalable but would require investment. Impact: High scalability would favor telemedicine expansion; low scalability might prioritize in-person care.

• Resource: Considering budget constraints, what's the relative cost of expanding telemedicine versus enhancing in-person facilities?

Why it matters: Helps understand the financial trade-offs between options. Expected answer: Telemedicine expansion is less capital-intensive but requires ongoing operational costs. Impact: Lower relative cost for telemedicine would favor that option.