Mobile Apps for Multiple Healthcare Systems

The Challenge

Universal Health Services (UHS) is one of the nation’s largest providers of hospital and healthcare services, with more than 400 acute care hospitals, behavioral health facilities, and ambulatory centers across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and the U.K.

UHS approached Modea to help advance their digital strategy by creating a unified mobile experience that could serve patients across their network of regional health systems. The first engagement began with Manatee Healthcare, a UHS-owned regional system. The goal: design and build a mobile app that could serve as a scalable template for future implementations—enabling UHS to launch consistent, branded apps for 16 additional healthcare systems nationwide.

At the time, most UHS-affiliated health systems lacked cohesive mobile tools. Patients faced challenges finding locations, accessing care, or managing appointments on the go. Modea was tasked with creating a user-friendly, scalable solution that would improve accessibility, patient engagement, and operational efficiency across the entire network.

Our Approach

User Experience Research

Modea began by conducting extensive discovery and competitive research to understand what patients expect from a modern healthcare mobile experience. This included analyzing industry surveys, reviewing healthcare and non-healthcare mobile apps (including those from brands like CitiBank and American Express), and benchmarking against leading digital tools to identify best practices.

From this research, Modea identified four key priorities for healthcare mobile design:

Simplified pathways: Reduce navigation steps and make essential tools immediately accessible.
Streamlined, branded appearance: Deliver a cohesive experience that reflects each health system’s identity.
Strong hierarchy of information: Surface the most critical tools prominently.
Clear calls-to-action: Make actions like scheduling or finding care simple and intuitive.

Strategy & Design

The first app, created for Manatee Healthcare, set the foundation for all subsequent UHS apps. Modea designed a sleek, modern interface with a strong hierarchy of user needs. Primary calls-to-action—such as “Find a location near me”—were made immediately visible and actionable.

Each app carried the unique branding of the health system it represented while maintaining a consistent structure across the UHS portfolio. The interface was designed to provide patients with a seamless experience that mirrored the accessibility and reliability of consumer-grade apps.

Seamless Mobile Experience

Using Xamarin for cross-platform development, Modea built fully functional iOS and Android apps that could be quickly customized and deployed for multiple UHS health systems. Each app gives patients easy access to essential tools—like finding locations, scheduling appointments, and managing their care—from one consistent, branded experience.

The apps also include enhanced features such as push notifications for timely updates, in-app marketing messages for urgent alerts, and Find a Provider functionality that lets patients request or schedule appointments directly. Accessibility improvements, including landscape mode support, ensure usability across all devices.

Solution

Modea’s scalable mobile framework empowered UHS to launch 16 branded mobile apps across its network, each aligned with local health system identities yet unified under a shared digital strategy.

The resulting platform gives patients immediate access to essential healthcare services while allowing UHS to maintain consistency, reduce development time, and improve overall digital engagement.

Results

16 mobile apps launched across UHS regional health systems
Improved patient accessibility through simplified navigation and mobile scheduling
Increased engagement via push notifications and in-app marketing
Reduced deployment time and cost through a reusable cross-platform architecture

Accessibility Compliance

We maintained accessibility standards throughout the design and development process. The product was built to meet the latest WCAG AA compliance standards, and we conduct ongoing accessibility audits and testing across all devices and user flows.

Technologies Used

UHS technologies logos

“

"We created a sleek, simplified design featuring a strong hierarchy of user needs. The main calls-to-action easily surface."

- Product Designer, Modea

Key Takeaways

UHS’s mobile app initiative demonstrates the power of a scalable digital framework in healthcare. By prioritizing patient convenience, accessibility, and brand consistency, Modea helped UHS deliver a unified mobile experience that strengthens patient relationships and supports operational growth across its national network.