As my final project for the General Assembly's Product Management course, I created a mobile application for trans individuals that helps them navigate the health care space.
The U.S. has come a long way when it comes to LGBTQ issues, especially when it comes to the trans community. Society has become more accepting of trans individuals; however, there's still more work to be done, especially when it comes to health care. When it comes to healthcare, 44% of trans individuals report it as a top priority. The problem that I was solving was that trans people lack access to quality healthcare (both physical and mental). Most of all, they require a system of finding and locating the right professionals who can provide them the care they need.
To better understand the mentality and the needs of trans individuals, I conducted in-person interviews with individuals who have transitioned or in the process of transitioning. I also read various articles related to the issues that transgender people face when finding proper health care. Some of the fundamental discoveries I found were:
There is an opportunity for impact and change within the LGBTQ market, especially for trans individuals. However, from what I have gathered, most products on the market have a focus on dating and relationships.
Some key facts that I found in regards to the market and buying power of the LGBTQ community:
My solution to the lack of access to quality healthcare for trans individuals, was TransZen. TransZen is a mobile app that allows the user to find, locate, and book health care professionals from the safety and privacy of their phone. The health care professionals within the platform are vetted and verified to be safe and knowledgable of trans issues. There is also a system where users can recommend professionals who have treated them.
There aren't many services that cater to trans health care; as previously stated, most apps directed towards LGBTQ individuals are dating and community apps. TransZen's solution isn't uncharted territory; there are two direct competitors within the field—MyTransHealth and SpectrumScores. Additional competitors are Planned Parenthood, WebMD, and ZocDoc.
An area of opportunity to differentiate TransZen from MyTransHealth and its competitors is to include a system of rating and reviewing health care providers. This system ensures that the quality of care recommended by TransZen is continuously updated and monitored—providing more robust feedback to trans individuals looking for health care providers.
The following metrics can track the success of TransZen:
Time will be spent on research and experimentation—to ensure building a product that fully connects and meets the needs of the trans community.
In my product road map, I also built in the possibility of partnering with MyTransHealth and taking their platform even further. We have to take bolder steps in addressing the needs of underserved communities. Yes, trans issues are a taboo topic. And yes, some may never truly understand the experience of gender dysphoria. However, we do have an understanding of what doing the right thing looks like. Solutions like MyTransHealth, SpectrumScores, and TransZen is a bold first step.
Though I have completed the Product Management course by General Assembly—I still have a few things in mind to further refine the solution.
Revisiting past research to cast a broader range of surveys to understand trans individuals and the problems they face in health care.
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