5 Ways To Leverage A Digital Signage Network In A Hospital

Hospitals are under a lot of pressure. Their budgets are shrinking even as their patient case loads are growing. Doctors and nurses are feeling the pressure since they are essentially on the front lines. They are tasked with quickening the pace at which they move patients through the doors while avoiding a decline in the level of care they deliver. As the number of retirees continues to grow, this challenge is likely to become more pronounced in the near future.

One solution is to install a digital signage network. The screens can be placed at various points in a hospital to convey important information to visitors. This relieves much of the pressure currently placed on doctors and nurses, allowing them to focus on delivering a higher level of care. In this article, we'll present several specific ways to use a DOOH platform within a health care facility.

Waiting for test results or to be told of the progress made in treating a loved one is a difficult experience. Waiting rooms, while more friendly than they were a generation ago, provide little comfort to patients and their families. Digital signage software can make the wait less unnerving.

The screens can deliver information regarding certain diseases and disorders, along with suggestions for home care. For example, content can describe the recovery process following stroke. Or, it can provide tips for home care following a coronary artery bypass. Such segments can be integrated into play loops along with news headlines, health information, and promotions.

Hospital rooms are usually equipped with one or more televisions to help patients pass the time. But a digital signage platform can give hospitals more control over the content patients watch during their recovery. Information about the patient's condition can be streamed to his or her room. This can include suggestions for their at-home recovery, as well as promotions from advertisers.

Small hospitals are easy to navigate. Larger facilities, however, can present a problem for visitors. In the past, those who were unable to locate certain wards, the cafeteria, or the waiting room, were forced to ask the first doctor or nurse they could find. The interruption was often unwelcome if the practitioner was in a rush.

Digital signage screens can help patients and visitors find their way throughout a hospital. A wayfinding function can be added to touchscreen displays to let people request maps and directions.

Manually checking into a hospital usually requires someone to be present at the front desk at all times. Unfortunately, this is not always possible, especially for facilities that never close. Moreover, wait times lengthen dramatically during rushes as patients line up to fill out forms.

Much of this process can be completed through a touchscreen kiosk or signage display. Rather than forcing patients to line up at the front desk, they can input the necessary information on their own via the DOOH screens. This not only relieves the pressure on the front desk, but it reduces the amount of time patients are forced to wait, improving their overall experience.

Digital signage also gives hospitals a way to display information about meals that are available in their cafeterias. Menus can be updated on a moment-by-moment basis; items can be added or withdrawn, as needed. Nutritional data can also be displayed along with information regarding whether certain foods should be avoided by patients suffering from specific conditions.
A growing number of hospitals are installing digital signage screens to help them become more efficient. This reduces the pressure on their personnel while giving them the flexibility to offer a higher level of care.