Digital Wayfinding: Bringing Valuable Updates to the Waiting Room
Medical facilities: What’s the greatest source of patient dissatisfaction? According to surveys, patients reveal that the single most dissatisfying part of interacting with the medical industry as a whole is time spent waiting. And unfortunately, medical facilities are historically notorious for making patients wait — and wait. Digital wayfinding and signage is poised to change that, and not only lessen the wait, but revolutionize the patient experience as a whole. How? Our team at Oppna Digital has further details below.
Reducing Perceived Wait Times
It’s no secret that patients hate the wait, but ever-busy medical environments, waiting is often an inevitability. Fortunately, hospitals and medical clinics can lessen the dissatisfaction that surrounds extended wait times simply by reducing the perceived length of those periods. How? With digital wayfinding and signage.
Digital wayfinding isn’t just a navigational tool; it’s a comprehensive platform designed to improve the patient experience on multiple levels. When medical facilities provide the opportunity for patients to interact with the facility digitally while they wait, that communicatory measure goes a long way in terms of satisfaction.
Not only does the additional communication draw attention away from the wait, but it signifies to patients that the facility values their interaction — even if that exchange may not be face to face. And in light of the current global health crisis, many patients may even prefer digital interaction over the inherent risks of person-to-person contact.
Improving the Patient Experience
Digital wayfinding software and signage bring another valuable update to the waiting room: more information. Because the technology can be used to provide a range of patient-centered information, it allows guests to streamline their experiences at the facility, thereby improving overall satisfaction with their interaction. What kind of information and assistance can patients access? A few examples include:
● Directions. Turn-by-turn digitally delivered directions throughout the facility, which can be delivered directly to a mobile device for ease of navigation.
● News Updates. Patients can use digital wayfinding and signage to stay informed about the latest health news and receive suggestions for improving their health.
● Service Offerings. Medical facilities can connect with patients by providing valuable information about their specialties and services through digital wayfinding kiosks.
● Accountability assistance. Through a digital wayfinding kiosk, patients can set up helpful digital reminders to help keep themselves accountable throughout their healthcare journey. Appointment reminders, medication pickup reminders, and daily prescription adherence alerts can be quickly and easily set up at the facility and delivered directly to the patient’s communication channel of choice. Connecting with patients on their preferred channels not only increases satisfaction through ongoing communication, but it also improves the likelihood that patients will remain accountable and take active roles in improving their health.
Considering Hospital Wayfinding? Contact Oppna Digital Today
Ready to discuss how interactive digital wayfinding can transform the patient experience? Then it’s time to get in touch with our team at Oppna Digital. As a full-service digital solutions provider, we specialize in wayfinding software development, hardware procurement, app development, content management, and much more. To learn more about how our digital solutions can improve your facility, feel free to request a demo or give our team a call at 651-237-5677. You can also send us a message on our contact page, and we’ll be in touch promptly.