Patient journey map template
A patient journey map shows what a person goes through from noticing a health problem to recovering from it: each step, where it happens, how it feels and what gets in the way. This template follows a typical primary care journey, from first symptoms and booking an appointment with a primary care doctor to tests, treatment and a follow-up visit.
- Unsure whether symptoms are serious enough to warrant seeing a doctor
- Online symptom checkers produce alarming worst-case results
- No trusted first point of contact outside of the emergency department or a full doctor's appointment
- Search results prioritise alarming articles over balanced clinical information
- Medical language is too technical for the average reader to understand
- Patient delays seeking care because they convince themselves it's nothing serious
- Phone lines are busy for the first two hours of the day every morning
- Online booking system only shows appointments 3+ weeks out
- Patient is told to call back tomorrow — and this repeats for several days
- Waiting room is over capacity and waiting times are unpredictable
- Video call link doesn't work on the patient's phone or browser
- Patient is not told how long they will wait
- Appointment feels rushed — only 8 minutes to cover a complex issue
- Patient doesn't feel heard and their concerns are not fully explored
- Medical terms are used without explanation
- No clear communication about when results will be ready
- Patient receives a text saying 'your results are ready' with no context
- Chasing results by phone results in being passed between departments
- Information is delivered verbally at a moment of high stress and is not retained
- No written summary or aftercare instructions given to take home
- Patient doesn't know what to do if their condition worsens before the next appointment
- Side effects are not explained clearly before the medication is prescribed
- No follow-up to check whether the treatment is working after two weeks
- Physiotherapy referral takes 8 weeks to come through
- No guidance on what 'getting better' should look like day by day
- Patient is unsure whether a symptom change is normal or a red flag
- Difficult to contact the clinic to ask a quick question without booking a full appointment
- Follow-up appointment is with a different clinician who has not reviewed the notes
- Patient has to retell their entire history from the beginning
- Follow-up appointment falls outside the recommended clinical timeline due to availability
- Promote the out-of-hours helpline or nurse triage line clearly in all patient communications
- Invest in symptom guidance content written in plain language on the practice website
- Offer an asynchronous 'ask a nurse' service for non-urgent queries
- Point patients to trusted official health information websites in all patient communications
- Create plain-language condition guides on the practice website
- Train reception staff to reassure patients who feel their concern might be too minor to mention
- Introduce a callback system so patients don't have to stay on hold
- Reserve same-day appointment slots for patients who call before 10am
- Implement a digital triage tool that directs patients to the right appointment type
- Display real-time wait times on a screen in the waiting room
- Test video consultation links 24 hours before the appointment
- Send a text update if the appointment is running more than 10 minutes late
- Pilot longer appointment slots for patients flagged as complex cases
- Train clinicians in active listening and shared decision-making techniques
- Use the teach-back method — ask the patient to repeat back what they understood
- Give patients a specific results timeline at the point of testing
- Include a brief plain-language interpretation with every test result notification
- Assign a named contact for patients to chase results rather than a general number
- Provide a written or printed treatment summary after every consultation
- Include a 'when to seek urgent help' section in all patient aftercare instructions
- Offer a patient portal where consultation notes and treatment plans are stored digitally
- Always explain common side effects and what to do if they occur at the point of prescribing
- Build in a routine 2-week follow-up call or message for new medications
- Explore partnership with private or community physio providers to reduce referral wait times
- Provide a simple recovery timeline guide for common conditions
- Include a list of red flag symptoms in all discharge and aftercare documentation
- Offer asynchronous messaging with the care team for minor questions during recovery
- Assign continuity of care where possible — same clinician for follow-ups
- Ensure the consulting clinician reads the notes before entering the room
- Flag follow-up appointments in the booking system to prioritise within recommended timeframes
Scroll sideways to see every step. “Open this template” gives you this map as your own copy to edit.
At a glance
This template maps a patient journey in 5 phases and 10 steps, across 11 touchpoints: search, health website, phone, patient app, clinic, video consultation, clinician, test results, text message, treatment plan and pharmacy. The overall feeling is negative (2.7 out of 5), and 4 of the 10 steps are frustrated or angry. The biggest drop comes between “Consultation with Clinician” and “Awaits Test Results”.
- Phases
- 5
- Steps
- 10
- Touchpoints
- 11
- Overall feeling
- Negative
- 2.7 out of 5
- Needs attention
- 4 of 10 steps
- frustrated or angry
- Biggest drop
- 1 point
- Consultation with Clinician → Awaits Test Results
The 5 phases of a patient journey
1. Symptom Discovery
The journey starts before any contact with a health service. People are unsure whether their symptoms are worth a doctor's time, and searching online often worries them more.
- Notices Symptoms · 😤 Frustrated. Patient experiences symptoms and begins to assess whether they need medical attention.
- Researches Condition Online · 😤 Frustrated. Patient turns to Google to understand what might be wrong before contacting a healthcare provider.
2. Seeking Care
Getting an appointment is one of the most frustrating steps in this map: busy phone lines in the morning and online slots weeks away. The patient hasn't been seen yet.
- Tries to Book an Appointment · 😤 Frustrated. Patient attempts to book an appointment with their primary care doctor by phone or online.
- Attends or Joins the Appointment · 😐 Neutral. Patient arrives at the clinic or joins a video call for their appointment.
3. Diagnosis
A short consultation, then the wait for test results. Not knowing when results will arrive, or what a "your results are ready" text means, is a pain point that clear communication can remove.
- Consultation with Clinician · 😐 Neutral. Patient describes their symptoms to the doctor and receives an initial assessment.
- Awaits Test Results · 😤 Frustrated. Patient has tests done and waits to receive and understand the results.
4. Treatment
The patient leaves with a plan they may not remember, because it was explained at a stressful moment. A written summary and clear advice on what to do if things get worse help here.
- Receives Treatment Plan · 😐 Neutral. Clinician explains the diagnosis and outlines the recommended course of treatment.
- Undergoes Treatment or Takes Medication · 😐 Neutral. Patient begins prescribed medication, physiotherapy, or another treatment pathway.
5. Recovery
Recovery happens at home, between appointments. Seeing the same clinician at the follow-up, or one who has read the notes, saves the patient from telling their story again.
- Monitors Progress at Home · 😐 Neutral. Patient manages their recovery between appointments and tracks whether they are improving.
- Attends Follow-Up Appointment · 😊 Happy. Patient returns for a follow-up to assess how recovery is progressing.
Where a patient journey goes wrong
The 4 steps where the customer is frustrated or angry, with their pain points:
Notices Symptoms
- Unsure whether symptoms are serious enough to warrant seeing a doctor
- Online symptom checkers produce alarming worst-case results
- No trusted first point of contact outside of the emergency department or a full doctor's appointment
Researches Condition Online
- Search results prioritise alarming articles over balanced clinical information
- Medical language is too technical for the average reader to understand
- Patient delays seeking care because they convince themselves it's nothing serious
Tries to Book an Appointment
- Phone lines are busy for the first two hours of the day every morning
- Online booking system only shows appointments 3+ weeks out
- Patient is told to call back tomorrow — and this repeats for several days
Awaits Test Results
- No clear communication about when results will be ready
- Patient receives a text saying 'your results are ready' with no context
- Chasing results by phone results in being passed between departments
Ideas to fix the low points
Notices Symptoms
- Promote the out-of-hours helpline or nurse triage line clearly in all patient communications
- Invest in symptom guidance content written in plain language on the practice website
- Offer an asynchronous 'ask a nurse' service for non-urgent queries
Researches Condition Online
- Point patients to trusted official health information websites in all patient communications
- Create plain-language condition guides on the practice website
- Train reception staff to reassure patients who feel their concern might be too minor to mention
Tries to Book an Appointment
- Introduce a callback system so patients don't have to stay on hold
- Reserve same-day appointment slots for patients who call before 10am
- Implement a digital triage tool that directs patients to the right appointment type
Awaits Test Results
- Give patients a specific results timeline at the point of testing
- Include a brief plain-language interpretation with every test result notification
- Assign a named contact for patients to chase results rather than a general number
How to adapt this template
- Pick one condition or service. "Patients with back pain at our practice" gives a clearer map than "all patients".
- Use what patients already tell you: complaints, feedback forms, survey comments and what the reception team hears every day.
- Add the people around the patient, such as a carer, a pharmacist or a physiotherapist, where they change the experience.
- Bring real numbers, like the time to get an appointment, the days spent waiting for results and the share of follow-ups that happen on time.
- Check it with patients. Ask a few to walk through the map and say what's missing, following your organisation's rules on consent and patient data.
Who uses this map
Practice managers, patient experience teams, service designers and clinicians use it to find where patients get stuck between appointments. Digital health teams use it to see where their app or website fits into care that mostly happens in person.
Frequently asked questions
What is a patient journey map?
A picture of care from the patient's side: the steps they go through, the services and channels they use, how they feel at each step and what gets in the way. It helps clinical and non-clinical staff see care as one experience rather than separate appointments.
What are the stages of a patient journey?
This template uses 5 phases: symptom discovery, seeking care, diagnosis, treatment and recovery, ending with a follow-up appointment.
Does it fit our health system?
Yes. The steps are common to most health systems. Rename the services to the ones your patients use, such as an out-of-hours helpline, an urgent care clinic or a hospital's emergency department.
Does it work for hospital care or a long-term condition?
The shape works, but the steps differ. For a hospital stay, add admission, the ward and discharge. For a long-term condition, map one cycle of care, such as a review appointment and the months that follow.
Is this medical advice?
No. The map describes the patient's experience, not clinical care. Use it to improve access, communication and follow-up, and leave clinical decisions to clinicians.
Is it free?
Yes, Journey Maps is free. You can open and edit this template without signing up. Your map stays in your browser until you sign in to save it, export a PDF or share a read-only link.
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Related guides
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Open the healthcare patient templateUpdated November 2026