Navigating the Healthcare Complex

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Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers – Volume: 49    |    Number: 4

Long wait times, anxiety, confusion and frustration often can be the experience of patients and their families when arriving at a hospital. Large sprawling buildings with nonintuitive directions and the complexity of healthcare access contribute to poor patient satisfaction. Given the large variety of services offered at healthcare facilities, including radiology, labs, clinics, surgical suites and inpatient units, being navigating to appointments and finding amenities are definite challenges. This problem is exacerbated by the stress of needing to seek medical care in the first place. One such solution is a new application from Gozio Health that helps patients navigate through the physical care system. Given the nature and diversity of services at hospitals and other large care centers.

With the use and integration of robot site mapping, Bluetooth beacons and smartphone technology, the wayfinding app can give turn-by-turn navigation for patients through their entire experience at a healthcare facility. The app brings Google Map-like directions at the scale of walking through the facility.  A wealth of usage information can be abstracted to gain insight into your facility. The platform allows users to give feedback on signage, tracks how patients are using the app and records frequently visited locations. The data can be used to improve current static signage and the interface design, along with pinpointing bottlenecks in the facility. The app also provides other vital information for a patient’s visit. It can show appointment itineraries, waiting times for services, amenity locations such as cafeterias and transportation, and provider directories. The end result produces better informed and timely patient visits to create an improved patient experience.