The average person’s attention span is 8 seconds, according to Microsoft, and a University of Minnesota study found the human brain processes visuals 60,000 faster than text. With these facts in mind, experience strategies need to be tailored to the evolving human brain. 

Digital signage meets these exact needs. They are a visual communication tool that breaks through the crowded environment with eye-catching, snackable imagery and messaging. Digital signage moves organizations beyond print for versatility, optimization, timeliness, relevance and high impact engagement, creating an individual experience to enhance employee and patient education. Plus, it’s a more affordable and sustainable option.

Patients and Visitors

1. Greeting signage: The entryway of facilities is your first touchpoint with visitors before they even speak with an employee. Placing digital signage in these spaces to is an opportunity to highlight awards and accomplishments of your organization, showcase your brand, and spread awareness of important announcements. Maintaining constant communication with your patients builds connection and confidence in your care teams and brand.

2. Directional signage: Facilities range in size, and navigating how to get to appointments, procedures, or meetings can be daunting for anyone. Leveraging digital signage for personalized directions relieves the stress of making it somewhere on time or getting lost. Interactive and touchscreen devices can also be installed in high traffic areas and within elevators, so visitors have them at just the right time. They can offer a multitude of languages fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment.

3. Informational program signage: While people move through different areas of facilities, you can educate them on the organization’s services and expertise by extending your value-based patient marketing campaigns and provider showcases. QR codes can be leveraged on signage to drive readers to take action and support the growth patient pipelines.

4. Department and waiting room signage: Perceived wait time is a significant dissatisfier for any consumer, especially patients. Patients tend to have high anxiety in healthcare settings for reasons ranging from diagnosis to treatment uncertainties. Using digital signage in waiting areas to list the wait time helps set expectations with patients and caregivers, putting their minds at ease. In addition, you can use waiting rooms as touchpoints providing patient education with relevant tips for healthy living, specialty-specific videos, or quick mindfulness sessions to help create a calming environment and illustrate the organization's commitment to patients' overall health.

Longer wait times are negatively associated with patient satisfaction and studies every aspect of patient experience negatively correlates with longer wait times. 

(American Journal of Managed Care)

5. Patient room screens:

•  Entry screens: Digital screens also allow organizations to re-imagine how they provide care in a more efficient and personalized way. Adding a digital screen outside of patient rooms for patient information such as visitor welcome message, care team information, quarantine status, precautions, etc. helps to accomplish this.
• Digital whiteboards: Implementing innovative digital whiteboard screens can help ensure accurate and safe patient care and a tailored experience enhancing patient satisfaction. These boards can display information, including:
  •  Daily greeting
  • Time, date and weather
  • Care team listing
  • Safety messages – fall precautions, no food or liquids, allergies, etc.
  • Patient Orders
  • Patient stats – heart rate, oxygen level, etc.
  • Set up patient portal instructions via QR code

A recent study showed 96% of the patients preferred a patient room with a digital whiteboard and 70% said it was “quite a bit” or “very helpful” in keeping them updated throughout their hospital stay.

(Brigham and Women’s Hospitals)

6. Donor walls: Many people and organizations are committed to the health of their communities contributing to a notable amount of funding. Using digital screens for donor walls creates a dedicate space to raise awareness of the impact of funds raised, promote fundraising initiatives, recognize contributors and builds brand confidence by leveraging partnerships and people with clout support your organization.

Employees
It’s the nature of healthcare employees to always be on the go, so catching their attention with the right message at the right time is imperative for an effective organizational communication strategy. Digital signs and screens allow organizations to    meet people where they are and share important information on relevant and timely topics such as benefits, announcements, events, town halls, emergencies, etc.

Screens can be placed in high traffic employee only facing areas including:

• Employee entrances
• Private hallways
• Training center
• Conference rooms

Information can also get more personalized for sites, departments or teams by implementing signage in breakrooms. You can also drill down on local results that employee's impact and help them understand how they are contributing to the organization as a whole and what they can do to impact it positively or drive results that inform their bonuses and other programs.

These tools can be used to turn your employees into ambassadors among their peers and the community by cutting through the noise to push accurate key message. It also drives them to take action or learn more about programs through QR codes.

Relevant and Sustainable Communications and Education
Interested in strengthening engagement and patient education with all of your stakeholders? Reach out to DBSI here for more information.

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