How To Use Digital Signage In The Medical Setting
The medical industry is faced with unprecedented challenges. As so many more patients rush to hospitals and other healthcare facilities every day, the industry must continue to ensure smooth and effective operations to meet everyone’s needs. This is not just applicable to providing treatments and therapies, but also to the convenience and accessibility these facilities must give to patients.
For example, having the right signage in medical care facilities leads to smooth operations and patient care. Health-related information and directions to different departments and doctors’ rooms make it easy for patients, visitors, and hospital staff to find their way around.
With advancements in technology, hospitals and healthcare facilities are embracing a new form of signage: digital. But what are these, and how are they best used in medical settings? This article will tell you how you can use digital signage in your healthcare facility.
A Brief Introduction To Digital Signage
Digital signage refers to electronic display screens on which images, videos, and interactive information is displayed. In the medical industry, the purpose of digital signage is to empower and give patients an engaging experience, enhance internal communication between hospital staff members, and to display visual announcements and information.
Some digital signage companies, like OmniAlly, specialize in providing solutions for healthcare facilities, such as:
- Video screens.
- Interactive kiosks.
- Interactive way-finding tools.
- Touch screen portals.
- Private label television.
How To Use Digital Signage In Your Healthcare Facility
1. Help Patients To Navigate The Facility Easily
The hospital setting is undoubtedly stressful for all healthcare workers. As they move throughout the hospital or care center, patients are bound to stop them and ask for directions. Giving directions or even accompanying patients to where they need to go, steals productive time from hospital staff.
Digital signage can ease up the stress of medical workers by providing interactive navigational maps at strategic points throughout the facility. It also helps patients feel less stressed in an unfamiliar environment when they can easily find their way using these digital maps and directions.
Many digital signage solutions are integrated with powerful voice user interface technologies, besides touch-screen solutions. This means that patients can ask for directions by speaking, thus eliminating the need to touch surfaces that could carry harmful germs.
This solution is also useful for new hospital staff members. Instead of bothering their colleagues—who are already operating under a lot of pressure—for directions, they can simply make use of digital signage to find their way.
2. Receive And Maintain Patient Information
Digital signage is effective in speeding up administrative tasks related to patient admissions. This means automating what would’ve otherwise been manual tasks during the waiting period. With digital signage, the medical facility can receive patient information without filling in paper forms:
- Patients can use the interactive hospital kiosk to check-in.
- Patients can pay their bills.
- Patients can schedule appointments.
- Doctors and nurses can update medical records in real-time.
3. Entertain Patients While They’re Waiting
Depending on how busy the medical facility is, patients can sit in the waiting room for as short as half an hour, or sometimes, as long as three to four hours. This long waiting time can make patients bored and even more anxious about seeing the doctor.
Digital signage can be used both to entertain patients and to provide information while they’re waiting. Music, videos, games, and informative videos can be made available in the pediatric ward to help ease children and their parents’ tension levels.
If, for example, patients are waiting to see the oncologist, digital signage can show videos about the latest cancer treatments. So, while they’re waiting, your patients gain useful insights to help them feel more positive about the possibilities of prolonging their lives or even being cured.
4. Create Trust Between Patients And Doctors
Doctors can use digital signage to create a connection with their patients. While patients are waiting for their turn, digital signboards can display information about the doctor and their medical teams, such as their credentials, achievements, and personal interests.
This is especially useful for building trust among first-time patients. Now, once it’s their turn, they’ll be more comfortable with the doctor and easily open up about their health issues. If a patient is more comfortable revealing their health issues, it helps the doctor to make an accurate diagnosis and choose the best treatment plan.
Conclusion
Digital signage is at the forefront of modern healthcare technology. When used strategically around medical facilities, it can help provide better assistance and information to both patients and health workers.
With digital signage, you’re not only enhancing your health facility’s appearance, you’re also more effective in communicating with your patients and empowering them with useful information about diseases and treatments.
