Managing a complex of medical facilities poses a series of very complicated problems. One of these problems is the issue of patient and visitor wayfinding. In many cases, a hospital is just one part of a much larger medical complex that can consist of many different buildings, multiple parking lots and a series of walkways. For visitors and patients, navigating this environment can be confusing and in some situations frustrating.
The solution to this is to have some form of wayfinding system. In the past, this was usually achieved by using static signage and maybe some form of interior or architectural design that helps to make different areas of the complex easier to identify and find. However, there is a newer solution that can work much better for helping patients and visitors to find their way around and this newer option is digital wayfinding.
The wayfinding kiosk
An interactive digital wayfinding kiosk will be an especially effective tool for helping people to navigate a complex that consists of many different parts. It can include maps of the entire complex that illustrate where the buildings are in relation to each other and how they can be accessed by the individual. You can also use color-coding on the screen that matches color-coding in the building to make directions easier to follow. Since the kiosk is also interactive, the user can also select locations that they need to find and get precise directions that will lead them there. You can place an interactive kiosk in all of the main points of entry and it will go a long way toward eliminating confusion.
Apps for digital wayfinding
This is one digital wayfinding solution that is relatively new for hospital navigation, but it can be very useful for a complex that is very large. A wayfinding app that the patient can install on their mobile device can help them to find the health services that they need with less trouble and it can even offer additional services that guests will appreciate. With the app, it can tell the guest exactly where they should park, which door will best help them to get to their appointment and where it is and from there it can give them turn by turn directions to the location that they are looking for.
An integrated system of wayfinding
For a wayfinding system that is intended to help people navigate a really large environment that has a range of different sections and subsections you probably won’t abandon all of the old methods completely. With a large environment like a hospital complex, you will need to integrate digital wayfinding into a strategy that includes static signage and building design. With the right level of planning and the use of the right wayfinding tools in the right places, a large environment can be made very easy to navigate.
To build a digital wayfinding system, it will take a considerable investment of time and money. Even though it is a rather large investment, it is something that will benefit the patients and the facility alike.
