A mother of a pediatric patient once asked our hospital design team for direction and diversion: &#;Get me to where I have to go, and make me forget why I&#;m going there.&#; It&#;s a simple request, but in reality, a very tall order.
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Visitors to healthcare facilities, our most complex building type, often roam, becoming lost either approaching or navigating these spaces. The traveler&#;s intuitive faculties are typically challenged because of a combination of things, from elevated levels of anxiety to confusion resulting from a cryptic set of directions, which are often exacerbated by a once thoughtfully placed signage system that&#;s been degraded over time with additions of irrelevant information. Hansel and Gretel thought to leave behind reflective stones to navigate their escape from a confusing forest&#;should patients have to do this, too?
Let&#;s first consider why it&#;s important for a facility (and its designers) to understand and manage a wayfinding system.
Is an effort being made to brand a facility as a patient-friendly service provider? Is money being spent on marketing specialty services? If so, how are those expectations met once someone approaches the building? Are the front doors clearly marked? Are there clear directional markers?
Upon entering, what clues are given about the quality of service being delivered? Is there immediate direction and distraction? Are guests greeted or left on their own, met only by a security guard asking for an ID? A discount store like Walmart sees value in a greeter system. Left without personal guidance, customers may not have the intended shopping experience in the comprehensive yet complex facilities.
After entry, healthcare patients and visitors traditionally head toward an elevator bank, often named by building or department. Have they been given a proper set of directions that allow for a simple cognitive map of the unfamiliar space? Can staff easily direct them to a department using fewer than four basic landmarks? Are there clear markers that are understandable and memorable? Is signage the only cue, or is there a hierarchy of memorable landmarks, describable works of art, consistently designed visitor portals, and moments of respite to reduce stress?
If long and complex travel distances can&#;t be avoided, stage the patient journey with personal and/or digital interventions.
As health reform changes the rules for medical care reimbursement, the patient experience will become a significant driver for design-related research. Using an evidence-based methodology, design teams will require additional data to fully understand the anatomy of the entire healthcare experience. Should we consider the impact of wayfinding in influencing the patient&#;s responses for environmental or performance evaluations? To put this question in context, Center for Health Design researcher Upali Nanda noted at a recent &#;Pebble in Practice&#; workshop how a patient&#;s perception of care delivery may influence the patient experience more than the actual recovery resulting from the delivery of care. Wayfinding might very well be a subtle but important first impression in the visitor&#;s perceived experience.
I urge you to give the complete concept of wayfinding its due, not only during new building programs but in ongoing facility audits, as well. Then, the next time Hansel and Gretel show up at your front door, have security relieve them of their pebbles, informing them that the pathway out will be as simple as the pathway in and that they will be met not only by clear direction but also pleasant diversion. Then track their satisfaction scores and report in.
Rosalyn Cama, FASID, EDAC, is president and principal interior designer of Cama Inc., in New Haven, Conn.She can be reached at [ protected]. For more information on The Center for Health Design, please visit www.healthdesign.org.
Digital wayfinding systems are revolutionizing navigation in hospitals, providing numerous benefits for patients, visitors, and staff alike.
According to recent statistics (researched by AIScreen team), over 80% of hospitals in the United States have implemented some form of digital wayfinding technology, showcasing its widespread adoption and effectiveness.
In this, you will learn about digital wayfinding&#;s remarkable advantages to healthcare facilities, including improved efficiency, enhanced patient experience, and streamlined operations.
Short Summary
Wayfinding in hospitals means using electronic maps and navigation systems to help people find their way around. This includes:
These technologies make it easier for everyone in the hospital to get where they need to go without getting lost or feeling stressed.
AIScreen offers a seamless navigation experience, helping me and others effortlessly find our way around the hospital with clear and concise directions.
Digital signage in medical offices wayfinding system can help hospitals work better and talk to each other more easily. Here are five ways to make it happen:
Wayfinding solutions in healthcare are made to help everyone, including those with disabilities, find their way around hospitals easily, no matter where they are. These solutions have features like audio instructions that guide people through headphones or speakers.
For example, someone who can&#;t see well can use a navigation app and hear directions to move around the hospital easily.
Adding many different high-tech navigation tools in hospitals can help communication in lots of ways. Here are some of the most common ways they&#;re used:
Digital information kiosks:
Interactive kiosks placed in important spots like hospital entrances, lobbies, and near patient rooms give you up-to-date info on visiting hours, appointments, how long you might have to wait, and directions to different parts of the hospital. Moreover, digital signage benefits healthcare beyond any technical factors.
Mobile Indoor Navigation Apps:
A easy-to-use app with indoor GPS helps you find your way around the hospital. It gives you step-by-step directions to where you need to go inside the hospital, and you can also search for specific places or doctors&#; offices.
Hospitals can put up signs in different languages to show people where to go, especially in busy places like entrances, elevators, and information desks. For example, signs pointing to the &#;Emergency Area&#; can also have translations in languages that people in the area commonly speak.
Mobile apps that help you find your way around can let you choose the language you want. For instance, if you want directions in French, you can just pick French in the app settings.
Digital navigation systems have a special alert feature that gives you urgent directions during emergencies.
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For example, if a fire alarm goes off, the system can quickly change the directions to show you how to get to the closest exits and safe places. This is really important for keeping patients, visitors, and staff safe because it gives them clear directions when they need them most.
With AIScreen, I feel reassured knowing that instant emergency messages will guide me and others to safety during critical situations in the hospital.
It&#;s now easier to get personal directions in hospitals, thanks to interactive kiosks and signs that can turn spoken words into text. Imagine a patient who just got to the hospital and doesn&#;t know where to go for their appointment.
With digital directions, they can type or say where they need to go, like &#;Dr. Jack&#;s office on the 3rd floor,&#; into the nearest help machine. The system figures out what they need and gives them clear directions on how to get there, step by step.
When we try to solve problems in places like hospitals, there are two main things to think about: human stuff and technical stuff.
Human factors include everything related to the problem we&#;re dealing with in that space. This is important for planning how people will move around inside.
The technical factors of navigation involve the physical and visual things in the environment, like:
These things help our brains work better when we&#;re trying to find our way around. We all get how colors, lights, buildings, and maps work.
Digital wayfinding systems come in different forms like signs and kiosks to help people in hospitals find their way. Thanks to new software, mobile solutions are also getting more popular. They help users from the start of their journey at home to the end in a hospital room.
Hospitals sometimes struggle with basic navigation as they grow. They need to think about how people move around inside. It&#;s important to have a good plan before putting it into action.
Technical parts of navigation include things like colors, lights, and the design of the building. Signs, maps, and digital tools help us understand where we are and where we need to go. High-tech tools like interactive maps and apps can be really helpful in hospitals.
Different companies offer various solutions to help in wayfinding. Some use QR codes to show maps and directions. Others offer voice-activated guides or touchless displays. These solutions help patients and staff find their way around easily.
In the future, technology in hospitals will keep improving. For example, your might tell you to park somewhere else if the usual parking lot is full. Caregivers might wear special glasses to see important patient information without using their hands.
Here are some hospitals in the United States that use digital navigation systems every day.
At Johns Hopkins Hospital, they use digital signs and kiosks to help people find their way around. These electronic tools are really important for patients and visitors because the hospital is big and can be confusing to navigate.
The main job of these tools is to help you find specific places in the hospital, like clinics, departments, and other important spots. They show maps of the hospital and give you up-to-date info about where you are and how to get where you need to go.
They also have special kiosks you can touch to type in where you want to go or ask questions. The system then tells you the best way to get there.
Boston Children&#;s Hospital made a app called &#;MyWay&#; to help patients and visitors find their way around. This cool app works like a digital guide, giving detailed directions and indoor maps to help people get where they need to go in the hospital.
Here&#;s what the app does to help:
1. Step-by-step directions: You can type in where you want to go in the hospital, like a specific clinic or department. Then the app gives you personalized directions to follow, based on where you are right now.
2. Indoor maps: The app has maps of the hospital inside, so you can see where everything is. You can zoom in and out to see different floors and rooms.
3. Real-time updates: &#;MyWay&#; also gives you updates about what&#;s happening in the hospital right now. For example, it might tell you if a hallway is closed or if there&#;s construction going on, so you can adjust your route.
Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare (TMH) in Florida has put up 13 digital kiosks to help people find their way around their big hospital. These kiosks are easy to use and help you quickly find where you need to go, like offices or staff members.
These kiosks also show important details about the buildings, like the current weather and any health announcements. They have maps for each floor and area of the hospital, too. They&#;re made to be easy for everyone to use, including people in wheelchairs.
These kiosks also have cool features like animated directions and letting you use your to get information without touching anything.
In conclusion, digital wayfinding systems have transformed hospital navigation, offering patients, visitors, and staff many benefits.
From enhanced accessibility to instant emergency messaging, these systems have become integral to improving the hospital experience for everyone involved. As hospitals prioritize efficient operations and patient satisfaction, the role of digital wayfinding will only grow in importance.
AIScreen stands out as a leading provider of digital signage for healthcare solutions, offering seamless navigation experiences and contributing to improving hospital navigation. Contact us today.
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