Medical facilities can often feel like time is crawling by, especially when you’re waiting to see a doctor. Waiting for an appointment can be a stressful and anxiety-inducing experience, as no one enjoys watching the clock tick away. However, digital signage can offer a solution to alleviate some of this stress. In the article below, you’ll find several ways to improve patient wait time experiences using digital signage.
Interactive Facility-Wide Wayfinding
One of the most essential applications for digital signage is a wayfinding system, allowing visitors to view the floor plan of the entire facility. This kind of facility wayfinding is especially beneficial for patients and visitors, particularly those who are visiting for the first time. Knowing exactly where to go and how to get there can instantly provide a sense of comfort. Additionally, having a clear wayfinding system in place can reduce the number of times patients need to stop staff members for directions, freeing up staff time and attention to attend to other important matters.
Information and Entertainment
Traditional communication methods like printed flyers or bulletin boards are often messy and ineffective, resulting in important messages going unnoticed. However, with hospital digital signage, it’s possible to strategically plan and share messages to ensure they reach their intended audiences. 78% of patients actively seek digital health solutions when available.
Digital signage can promote hospital services and events and convey critical information to patients and visitors. In case of crises or urgent situations, facility signage can respond to emergencies quickly by displaying alerts, evacuation routes, or detailed safety instructions. They can also share important patient health and safety recommendations, such as hand-cleaning hygiene reminders or mask-wearing protocols. One study found that digital signage improves queue management and reduces perceived wait times by over 35%. They can also display clinic hours for various providers, patient wellness content, and more.
Digital signage can even offer public health information or event registration opportunities, such as displaying an upcoming 5K race with a QR code that enables people waiting to scan and register with their phones. With digital signage, hospitals can streamline communication, better connect with patients and visitors, and boost mental and health awareness.
Reduce Anxiety
Digital signage in healthcare facilities allows doctors and nurses to share critical information without bulky folders and charts. For example, a digital display outside each patient’s room can display diagnoses, allergies, and other conditions for anyone who enters the room. This screen can also identify which nurse is on duty. Patients with language preferences can even have specific nurses assigned to them. Patients and visitors appreciate these technologies as they enhance the detail in providing an exceptional experience, helping them to remain calmer and more relaxed, which is especially important when on the road to recovery.
Efficient Notifications
Hospital waiting rooms can be stressful environments filled with anxious patients and family members awaiting news from surgery. However, digital signage can help alleviate some of this stress by providing various content, including reminders about essential health services like immunizations, physiotherapy, and mental health checkups. This informational content can help patients and their families think about their own health and wellness.
Hospitals may also display soothing landscape videos with calming music, offering a comforting and relaxing distraction from the wait. Additionally, digital signage can connect visitors to the outside world by displaying information about nearby restaurants, news, traffic, social media, and weather, providing a sense of normalcy during a potentially difficult time. With the right digital signage content, hospitals can create a more comfortable and engaging waiting room experience for patients and their families.
As a leading provider of digital signage solutions for hospitals and medical facilities, 22Miles is fully dedicated to enhancing the patient and visitor experience.
