4 Ways Hospitals are Using High-impact Visuals to Improve the Patient Experience
As healthcare organizations move towards value-based reimbursement models, the patient experience is now taking a higher priority. Hospitals have made significant investments in improving scheduling, bill pay and other administrative tasks. But to maximize value — and differentiate themselves from their competitors — many healthcare providers are looking toward new ways to engage patients and visitors and, in doing so, improve patient outcomes.
High-impact visual solutions allow not only high visibility as far as the images you choose to display, but also a lot of flexibility because you can easily change those images in and out depending on what your organization may need. There are also now many interactive solutions, where patients and staff can use touchscreens or other tools to accomplish different tasks.
Many healthcare organizations are looking for novel ways to improve upon the patient experience and, in doing so, increase Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) ratings. Below are four unique ways that hospitals are currently using high-impact visuals to engage patients, wow visitors and assist clinical staff in providing the best possible patient care.
1. Digital Signage
Large format LCD visual displays using LED technology for backlights can offer huge impact — and a lot more than just your organization’s logo. Such solutions can start with a single LED display all the way up to large dvLED statement pieces.
You see this kind of digital signage now at airports a lot. It uses the same technology used in mobile billboards. And you can be very flexible in the type of messaging you want to display. Hospitals can use them for branding, emergency messaging, wayfinding and a host of other applications. You can even display videos on them, highlighting awards or different events that may be going on.
Such digital signage offers patients much more than the old ceiling mounted television sets. These kinds of displays can help improve patient Satisfaction. They can help patients figure out where they need to go, let them know more about your organization, or just calm them down while they are waiting.
2. Donor Walls
Traditionally, healthcare organizations recognize their top donors by inscribing names on a wall, hanging up a plaque, or displaying a bust or painting. But these solutions are difficult – not to mention expensive – to update. And they often leave out donors who may regularly give time and money to a facility, but don’t necessarily reach a certain dollar amount.
Certainly, inscribed walls and art works are great. But hospitals can add a high impact visual display that allows them to recognize donors of all levels. You can add and delete people as needed – and even make it interactive. You can even add technology to solicit donations with a touchscreen and a way to take credit card payments.
3. Wait Time, Tracking and Care Coordination
No one likes to wait — this is never truer than when you are waiting for a healthcare appointment. Interactive displays can be used to communicate wait times or track where a patient may be in the surgical queue. They can also be used outside the waiting room, as interactive care coordination solutions.
It helps the overall flow of the hospital and makes sure that patients are seen quickly and by the right provider. They can even tie into the electronic medical record, updating patient information as needed.
4. Interactive Walls for Pediatrics or Therapy Rooms
High-impact visual solutions can also offer healthcare organizations the ability to project images, whether it’s cartoons or an interactive display in the pediatric waiting room or interactive murals or art pieces in therapy rooms to help positively divert attention.
When you use these kinds of images, you can help calm patients down. There are plenty of studies showing that art can be therapeutic, helping to soothe patients/visitors and take their minds off whatever brings them to the facility. It can make a big difference to how care is perceived.
Taken together, creative use of high-impact visual solutions can help increase patient satisfaction — and your bottom line. These kinds of solutions can impact both patient and staff satisfaction. And that’s why so many hospitals are now moving in this direction Now devices are in the hospital room – to not only quickly access information at crucial moments but to ultimately develop a better overall picture of the patient being treated and the care being delivered.