Recalculating route to help you better navigate hospitals
Getting lost while looking for a new restaurant or going to a job interview on the other side of town is a thing of the past. Sure, you may miss your exit on the highway due to detours or underestimate your commute time in the name of a few more zzz’s, but the feeling of being completely lost while driving has practically disappeared from our lives. Why, then, are we not expecting the same from our hospitals?
In our most recent survey, we asked you whether you had ever been lost at a Wellstar hospital. Spoiler alert: yes, one-quarter of you have been in that situation and with your feedback we’re actively working on solutions.
This problem extends beyond Wellstar. Multiple studies over the decades have highlighted the challenges hospitals face when it comes to guiding patients. These challenges include continuous expansions, which create layers upon layers of hallways and diverse floor plans, signs pointing visitors in non-intuitive directions and units with similar names.
In addition to patients feeling frustrated and having their care delayed, these challenges can lead to a snowball effect in scheduling, which may impact the staff and their workday.
Here in our system, Wellstar Kennestone Hospital is where patients needed the most help navigating, with 42% of respondents finding it difficult and 28% getting lost. You can watch our video here with some of these patients.
Among the lowest percentages were our Wellstar Health Parks. Only 3% of patients got lost in these newer facilities.
This field of guiding people through large spaces like hospitals or colleges is called wayfinding. There are several ways to improve wayfinding and one of them is by using technology.
“I’m hoping that one of the benefits of bringing wayfinding is elevating the experience in general, making patients feel more connected, and that Wellstar cares for them,” said Steven Wiesenthal, IT Product Manager at Wellstar.
Wellstar is currently investigating options to help patients better navigate our facilities, so let us know in the comments below which areas you see as the biggest chance for improvement. As solutions are evaluated here at Wellstar, we’ll communicate back to you for additional insight. Together, we can ensure that you will never hear the phrase “recalculating route” when visiting your doctor again.
Survey Results: Navigating Healthcare Facilities
Thank you for taking our survey about navigating Wellstar facilities. We’re sharing your insights with Wellstar leaders as we look for new solutions.
Your Voice
How was your last experience finding your doctor’s office? Share with us in the comments.
