Top Benefits Of Digital Wayfinding Systems For Hospitals

5 September 2018
 Categories: Technology, Blog

Share  

Most hospitals consist of multiple floors, many different units, and in some cases, several different buildings. Since hospitals are large in size and can be difficult to navigate, having a good wayfinding system in place is essential. A wayfinding system assists people visiting a facility figure out where they are going so they can arrive at the right destination. In this day and age, digital wayfinding systems, which typically consist of digital kiosks, though some facilities offer mobile options, are becoming increasingly popular. Digital wayfinding systems can be especially useful in a large facility like a hospital. Some of the top benefits of a digital wayfinding system in a hospital include the following. 

Quicker Access to Emergency Care

A large hospital likely has one or more large parking lots, which can make it difficult for a patient to quickly determine where the emergency room is, depending on where they parked. Incorporating a digital wayfinding system throughout the hospital will allow patients who need emergency care to be able to quickly figure out where they are located inside the hospital and how to get to the emergency room, no matter which hospital entrance they use.

Improve Employee Efficiency

When a visitor or patient is not familiar with the layout of a hospital and needs help figuring out where they need to go, they often ask a hospital employee for help. While most hospital employees do their best to assist anyone inside the hospital, stopping to give direction can take doctors, nurses, and other personnel away from important medical tasks and patient care. When there is an integrated digital wayfinding system in place in a hospital, employee efficiency will increase since they will not have to take time away from their work to provide directions.

Easy to Update

While many hospitals care for patients staying in the hospital, a lot of doctors and other medical professionals also have offices on a hospital campus. However, doctors can change offices or move to a new location, making printed maps of the hospital campus obsolete. Using a digital system for wayfinding needs means that the system can easily be updated if a doctor's office location moves or the layout of the hospital is changed for any reason.

Better Patient and Visitor Experience

In many cases, being in the hospital can be a stressful experience for patients and their families. Being able to easily navigate the hospital while inpatient and being able to use digital kiosks to find the location of a doctor's office for follow up visits can make the overall experience for everyone much more positive, which can result in patients choosing to return to the hospital for additional medical care in the future.