Case Studies

Unversity of Miami Health System (UMHS) realized the healthcare needs were not being met for too many people, particularly the Hispanic population, in Miami Dade county.   But why? 

It was a complex situation, nevertheless UMHS wanted to do in-depth qualitative research that would give them the insight they needed to successfully fix the problem. 

What good is a diagnosis if you can’t cure the illness? 

Alchemy’s Mission. The scope was significant.  designed an all encompassing qualitiate research study revealed the import discoveries.

Participant perceived something missing from hospitals were missing.  A heart.  Other hospitals were unfriendly and even turned people awary away if they didn’t have health insureance insurance.

• Hispanics make up 70% of Miami-Dade county’s poputaltion. Hence a high number of Hispanics turned away.

• Who did many Hispanics turn to for help? In addition to God and La Virgen de Guadalupe, many believed angels looked out for them.

• Many Hispanics turned their tightly knit Hispanic communities as major source of medically-related informatioin , help, and support. For Hispancis,  their family and community cared about them. Hosptals and clinics didn’t. In fact, many perceived that they weren’t  even being seen a person.

• Cross digital use was extremely important for how people found, accessed and acted medical and health related information.

UMHS realized they had to change from “what they were “ to “who they were.”  In otherwords, UMHS had to become something that other clinics and hospitals  weren’t . Additionaly, UMHS had to convince Hispanics that it was true.

After Alchemy’s qualitative research the answer was clear.  UMHS  had to reposition itselr

be like an angel – kind, compassionate, and look out for them.  But UMHS had to prove it.  Alchemy was tasked with identifying what was important and meaningful to people and particualry to Hispanics.  Through a ethnographies and interviews UMHS discovered they needed to function cross digitally in order to help people find what they were looking for especially when it came to doctors.  They also discovered that people in general thought public hospitals were bad and only the private hospitals (which they couldn’t afford) provided good medical care and had staff that cared.  People also didn’t think UMHS was a non-profit hospital because UMHS had such a good reputation.  In other words, UMHS wasn’t for people like them. UMHS took and ran with these and other Alchemy key research findings and immediately went to work on what they wanted to become.

The Results

It took time for UMHS to tackle what was a very long to-do list.  But they remained committed to changing.

In response to qualitative findings, UMHS did a number of things to demonstrate they were  genuine.   1 in 3 hispanics in Florida don’t have health insurance.

They formed partnerships with outreach organizations such as Doc to become involved with underserved neighborhoods.  Doc is an organization that forms  meaningful relationships with a community through local barbershops.  In need of something to brighten your day? Check out www

UMHS’s Miller teaching hospital strongly encourage students to become active in the community and now have a 98% student community involvement rate.

All three specialty hospitals created mobile programs to go into underserved neighborhood to do eye exams, cancers screening and …

UMHS hired additional staff members that reflected the population of Miami-Dade county.

https://umiamihealth.org/en/billing-,-a-,-financial-information/financial-assistance

UMHS overhauled their website to become more effective and also made ipad and iphone devices more functional  according to the way people used them.

As soon as UMHS felt they were really walking the talk, they created an inspirational commercial to tell a story that said it all.

Commercial.

Makes your heart smile, right?

Today—

UHealth – the University of Miami Health System’s policy is to provide emergent care and medically necessary care on a non-profit basis to patients without regard to race, creed, or ability to pay.

Partnered with Jackson Health System- Uninsured county residents are eligible for the Jackson Prime Financial Assistance Program, which entitles county residents to free or reduced-cost care at JHS, based on a sliding income scale.