Effective uses of digital wayfinding.
It’s a stressful experience for most people when faced with a medical appointment, but studies have shown digital wayfinding eases patient anxiety, by providing an accurate, simple to use route map of the building, exits, car parks and waiting rooms. With the added facility of a touch screen, a visitor can select a particular route, using color coded arrows and symbols.
Internal and External Digital Wayfinding.
From entering the campus, which itself can be a huge area, to finding a parking lot near the medical office is a challenge. So you’re stressed out before you even enter the building! Then there are more directional challenges ahead. Maybe the patient or visitor has already been within the building, but now seek a different department, or some of us just plain forget. There have always been paper maps, posters and billboards, ceiling hung signs and door signs to navigate by, but how many times have you ended up completing a full circle? Hospital staff are not traffic cops or ‘search an rescue’ personnel, they are trained medical staff who need to concentrate on their professional jobs. People become irrational, confused and disoriented, having lost their way and resources are wasted due to patients not turning up for an appointment, as they are ‘somewhere else’ in the building. It’s not a good way to start to day.
Investment of digital directions.
But technology now offers the facility to ease visitors experiences of such buildings. A touch screen way-finding digital signage board offers just that. The initial investment may seem a significant amount, but when supplemented with advertisements from local businesses, medical products or services of healthcare professionals, it is financially viable to off-set the revenue generated against the asset. Also, tax implications are favorable towards investing in electronic technology – depending on the country and state.
Successful Media Messaging.
Patients are expecting to see electronic technology in a medical facility, and would question the fact of ‘why not?’. This questions the facilities of other resources of the business. Hospitals are deploying digital signage to improve on-site navigation, but also to supply relevant information and local news, like a weather report, traffic congestion or emergency evacuation procedure. The content can be managed locally or remotely, depending on the control station. Updated content, in real-time and editing, amending, replacing or updated information; like appointment times. This has so much more flexibility than traditional information boards and is an easy system for patients to comprehend.
Virtual Information Desk.
Human nature determines the habits of personnel, it is not always possible to man a reception desk, with the best intentions, however a digital sign does not have a 10 minute break every couple of hours. There are no queues for a receptionist and personal information, remains personal – who needs to know which department a patient is headed too. There are many challenges facing the visitor, whether it is a hospital, office complex or educational facility, digital wayfinding is an innovative and dynamic form of easing the anxiety of an avoidable situation.