Table of Contents
Today it’s all about digital transformation in hospitals. As the rates of positive patient experience are dropping, the healthcare industry is looking for a tool to revamp how things are done. Digital signage is that magic wand. It is perfect for improving patients’ experience. But screens are also there to boost sales, improve communication and upgrade the queuing system.
Here’s how digital transformation in hospitals is improving patients’ experience.
What is patient experience?
As every hospital visit is connected with some kind of health issue, going to see a doctor is often accompanied by stress and anxiety. But what’s important is how the patient is treated after crossing the facility’s threshold.
AHRQ defines patient experience as “the range of interactions that patients have with the healthcare system, including their care from health plans, and from doctors, nurses, and staff in hospitals, physician practices, and other healthcare facilities.”
The quality of such experience depends on such factors as:
– getting convenient appointments with doctors
– receiving prompt information
– comfortable hospital premises
– good communication with healthcare providers
– respectful treatment
This is at the core of patient-centered care.
Per Better Health Channel, it’s “treating a person receiving healthcare with dignity and respect and involving them in all decisions about their health.”
What’s the current state of patient experience?
It could be better.
The Beryl Institute – Ipsos PX Pulse conducted a survey to determine how many patients had a recent negative experience of visiting a healthcare provider.
76% of American responders answered that in the past three months, they didn’t have a positive patient experience. 60% shared that they had a negative experience. That’s more than a half.
Diving deeper into the topic, here’s another curious statistic. AAPA in cooperation with The Harris Poll organized a thorough survey on the state of the patient experience in the US and the results were quite surprising.
65% of the respondents said that “coordinating and managing healthcare is overwhelming and time-consuming.” Another data from The Harris Poll showed that more than 70% of Americans “feel failed by the healthcare system.” These are some serious negative numbers.
But what’s at the heart of such low patient experience results? And how can it be improved with digital transformation in hospitals? Read on.
Challenges of patient experience are well-known
Sometimes it seems that there is a disconnect between the patient’s expectations and reality on the ground. One reason for that is the lack of hospital technology that could be a “magic wand” to quickly improve the patient experience. Actually, digital signage is that tool.
But let’s define the main patient experience challenges healthcare is facing right now to give effective solutions. We’ll focus here on in-hospital experience. This article doesn’t cover the out-of-hospital aspects like scheduling an appointment or engaging in telemedicine.
So here are the top in-hospital patient experience challenges:
– poor communication
Often patients would come to the building and there would be nothing to guide them. Whether it’s wayfinding, the room directories or visualization of appointments, the lack of proper communication makes the hospital visit a challenging experience for the patients.
– confusing navigation
Clear directions do magic. When a person is already stressed because of health-related issues, adding navigation stress is the last thing a patient would want.
– ineffective or unorganized queuing
Sadly, waiting is often a given when one goes to the hospital. But it’s one thing to wait with the peace of mind of knowing exactly when you’ve got your slot. It’s a different level of ordeal for a patient to come into an unorganized environment where nothing works to his satisfaction.
– high emotional stress levels
A hospital isn’t a restaurant. Satisfaction from having a meal isn’t the same as patient satisfaction. There is emotional stress and those healthcare providers who show displays of care go a long way in providing the best kind of service to the patient.
So we’ve got a general picture of what influences patient’s hospital experience. But why exactly does it matter for the hospitals? What good does it do them to improve the patient experience?
What does positive patient experience bring to hospitals?
Healthcare is a highly competitive space. Patients have a vast choice of hospitals to go to and their experience is largely connected with their willingness to spend more and return.
Here are the main reasons why digital transformation in hospitals and improving patients experience is vital:
– patient satisfaction increases trust and patient loyalty
– it forms long-term relationships
– it leads to positive reviews online, word-of-mouth and a better reputation
– it drives revenue and facilitates financial growth
– it reduces legal risks
– it supports community trust
What are the benefits of digital transformation in hospitals?
Digital signage is the ultimate tool for improving patient experience.
The displays can be used to address the main challenges hospitals are facing with reduced satisfaction rates. And the way they do that is very cost-effective and uncomplicated.
Cloud-based solutions like Kitcast have a wide range of intuitive features (such as customizable templates, widgets and AI designer) that make hospital content management effortless.
Here are the ways Kitcast digital signage is positively impacting the patient experience:
– reduction of waiting times through a clear queuing system
Use screens to create an effective queuing system that will reduce waiting times, give patients peace of mind and decrease their stress levels.
– improved navigation
Displays can show maps and directions to guide patients through your hospital.
– superb communication
With digital signage, patients can be constantly updated on things that matter. Show special announcements, run alerts and inform patients about wait times.
– educational value
Screens can be used to display educational content including health tips and wellness advice.
– stress-reducing entertainment
Run calming visuals and use waiting room signage to show entertaining content to engage with patients better and reduce their anxiety.
– multilingual personalization
Digital signage is the ultimate tool for multilingual engagement with patients. This brings a more personalized and fine-tuned experience.
Try Kitcast now for FREE
Sign up for the FREE trial, no credit card is needed.
