Solving Health Access Challenges for Digital Nomads
project
Nomæd
my role
Full stack designer
duration
hypothesis
Foreigners in the Czech Republic face difficulties in accessing quality healthcare due to language barriers, bureaucratic obstacles, and insurance complications.
goal
Build a reliable platform that mitigates these issues.
Ensure all listed healthcare providers speak fluent English, eliminating miscommunication anxiety.
Market & Competitor research
Healthcare is a saturated and sensitive field. I analyzed both advisory platforms and medical providers to identify potential threats, gaps, and partnership opportunities.
expats.cz
Focused on editorial content, including paid promotions.
Strong social media presence (e.g., "Prague Buy/Sell" group with 51k+ members).
Estimated 564,000 monthly web visitors (January 2023).
foreigners.cz
Focused on consulting services in 5 major Czech cities.
More personalized than Expats.cz, but with a smaller online footprint.
Expats.cz's network would be vital for user acquisition if the product were launched.
Canadian Medical
Offers English-speaking services across 7 clinics.
Membership-based (Premium, Gold, Platinum).
No Czech insurance partners, but accepts international insurers.
One-off visits available without membership.
Unicare Medical
Similar model but includes partnerships with Czech insurance companies (e.g., VZP, OZP).
Offers direct billing with international insurers (with pre-authorization).
Both providers could be great business partners with highlighted positions at the portal.
czech-only platforms
Platforms like ZnámyLékař.cz and NávštěvaLékaře.cz are Czech-only and inaccessible to most foreigners due to lack of translations, language filtering, and insurance info
User Research & Insights
I have conducted 30-60 minutes long in-depth interviews with three expats in Prague (Rufat from Azerbaijan, Christie from Vietnam, and Manuel from Mexico), recruited via the "EXPATS in PRAGUE" Facebook group.
brand design
Standing Out in a Sterile Industry
My primary goal when crafting a branding for this portal was to differentiate it from any other branding present in Czech republic and allow it to impress recipients with a feel of modernity.
No med? Use Nomæd
An original tendency for naming this platform had been Ubiqart – as in always-present shopping cart for healthcare services, but later on I got the idea to rename it to Nomæd for several reasons:
The letter æ is not present in Czech alphabet, allowing to emanate an international feel
It contains who and what is is to serve – med(ical care) for nomads
Shuffle the states, still get appointed
As for the logosymbol, I knew I wanted to reach a penetration of both travelling and medical care.
I found it in combining a shuffle symbol together with a stethoscope – ensuring that no matter how many states an expat enters, they will always get appointed.
Adopting clear typography in a field of illegible handwriting
Typeface, that was to be used for the logotype and for both digital and print typography had to be modern, elegant & dignified.
I chose the typeface Formula by the type foundry Pangram Pangram.
A Med Student’s Notebook Meets X-Ray
Research showed healthcare providers struggle with the finite amount of icons for each field leading to the absence of icons descriptive enough to be self-evident.
Thus, I have decided to not limit myself for icons and use whole images of organs and tools relatable to specific fields, all in a style of a student sketches or X-rays. Created with an early version of Midjourney.
Note: The raw, even bizarre, aesthetic needs validation through brand testing to avoid alienating users.
portal design
user experience and the interface
For the UI creation, I have opted the standard way - from analogue wireframes to pixel perfect design. One of the things I vastly enjoy while designing is the creation of design systems. For this project, I had created a design system, that enables scalability and flexibility.
site-map for the big picture
At the beginning, I had created a site-map to feel the scale of the project, allowing me to keep both detail and general outline in my mind.
hand-drawn wirefames are not dead
As always, I started the design process with low-fidelity analogue wireframes to ensure the layout choices are thought-out splendidly.
final slick interface
The portal's UI was to reflect the branding, therefore every page had been crafted on a dark surface ensuring brand consistency and continuity.
custom made Design system
During the creation of portal's UI, I have applied the same principle I do whenever I design – as I turn the wireframes into digital design, my workflow includes component-style stream. Once I need a specific component, I design it in a way it fits into the UI, and then convert it into reusable component.
The project was to be launched eventually, therefore I had thought out sustainability and scalability.
scalability
Though Czechia was the starting point, Nomæd was designed to grow:
Phase 1: Neighboring countries
Phase 2: Central & Western Europe
Phase 3: Global
Phase 4: Mars (optional)
profitability
Revenue Concepts:
Reservation fees
Ad placements
Premium features
Listing fees for doctorsanguage and bureaucracy are real blockers to accessing healthcare.
What I nailed:
Original branding in a conservative industry
Functional and aesthetic design system
What I believe I achieved:
An idea not present anywhere else (at the time)
Scalable structure
Solid monetization ideas
Biggest takeaway:
Great design isn’t enough. Scalability, business viability, and user insights must be embedded in UX from day one.
Rostislav Peška
My thesis supervisor, who forced me to not focus on the design only, but foremost at the scalability, business sustainability and common sense while crafting a product.
Jan Macúch
My thesis oponent, who asked the right questions. Jan also helped me with the definition of the project.
Kryštof Henzl & Jakub Kaderka
My friends and then-classmates who gave me a solid feedback through brutal honesty.