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Digital signage involves displaying personalized content on digital displays like LED, LCD, and projection to display data in the form of pictures, videos, graphics, or textual information to audiences. In healthcare, this technology can help communicate vital information to patients and staff. Hospitals and healthcare facilities have the challenge of creating a warm, inviting environment in a setting where many patients arrive in discomfort and fear. These facilities rely on clear, understandable communication to enhance the patient experience, encouraging better health outcomes and raising brand awareness. Digital signage is currently the most efficient means of disseminating crucial real-time healthcare information.
As more information floods the market due to growth in technology, the average person has an even shorter attention span compared to a decade ago. Arguably, people mentally retain less than a third of this information, especially if the ad is on static media such as banners or posters.
By using Digital signage, healthcare institutions can capture more viewers' attention by up to 400%, and significantly grow sales by 32%. Dynamic signage helps institutions to brand their message to capture attention much faster so they can reach the relevant audience. Digital signage may include:
- Touch monitors
- Interactive wayfinding digital boards
- Video screens
- TVs
- Digital information boards
- Interactive kiosks
Modern digital signage software can help you to create a playlist in the sequence you prefer, then schedule it to play on a specific day/days. If your ad has a time frame, you can set an expiry date so that you can put up a new message after the end of this schedule.
Healthcare institutions can easily target specific demographics such as age, sex, or geography, and effectively get their message across. When using scheduling software to create and broadcast custom messages through different media, you have to follow these simple tips to make it more effective.
Benefits of healthcare digital signage
Creates a cohesive brand
As technology advances, it's a good idea to stay ahead of the competition.
Hospitals that leverage digital signage solutions achieve unity and coherence, making them stand out to patients and visitors. This concept creates trust in the organization and fosters a sense of familiarity and belonging. When people see consistent signage and branding, they can experience belonging to a larger part of the community dedicated to providing high-quality healthcare services. You can use cohesive signage to create a consistent visual identity that aligns with your mission and values to attract new patients and improve your facility's reputation.
Unlike airing your adverts through regular TV, you customize your message, and you don't have to compete with other companies for the same advert space.
Helps grow sales
Since they capture more attention, they provide the opportunity to grow the sales of your health institution. Through interactive digital screens, you can promote different medical services, products, or events. You can also sell advertising space to third parties and grow your sales revenues.
You can use signage to inform visitors of a new medical drug in the market or a new medical procedure that is now available in the healthcare facility.
Improved communication (Staff and Patient)
Unlike static notice boards or whiteboards that you can easily ignore, digital screens are more noticeable in all staff break rooms. They can promote more efficiency by regularly displaying safety alerts, new treatment methods, new work policies, and more, using a cloud-based content management system.
It's also possible to synchronize digital signage with other technologies like phones, to quickly send urgent or important information to any number of staff.
Digital signage can make communicating critical information, such as safety instructions, easier for patients and their families. You can also display important health tips and education on medical conditions and treatment options. Digital signage can help keep visitors, patients, and staff updated with the latest information. This technology can also lower the risk of medical errors as patients can access information about their health and medications. Hospital signage can enhance patient outcomes and experience.
Improved Compliance
Digital signage can inform visitors and staff about policies and regulations, like visitor restrictions and hand hygiene protocols, to help reduce the risk of spreading infections and provide a safe environment for everyone visiting the hospital. You can also display safety reminders, such as wearing personal protective equipment during a pandemic or following standard operating procedures to prevent injuries or direct contact with certain hospital equipment. You can also program the signage to display different hospital policies throughout the day to ensure everyone sees them, which can create a culture of compliance in the facility.
Provides valuable data
You can use medical signage to showcase real-time information about medical updates, patient wait times, and appointment schedules, which can give patients control of their healthcare experience. Healthcare providers can also use this data to identify ways to reduce wait times, enhance operations and improve patient care and satisfaction. Additionally, the signage can collect data on patient behavior and preferences. For instance, data on different healthcare topics can give you valuable insights into the content patients find more engaging and helpful. You can then use this data to personalize your content to meet the needs of your visitors.
Targeted communication
You can use digital signage to tailor your message for different departments in the facility. For instance, the displays in pediatric wards can showcase child-friendly content such as games and educational videos. Similarly, the signage in a cardiology department can display information about healthy heart habits and cardiac care. Targeted communication can improve patient engagement, reduce stress and anxiety and improve treatment outcomes.
Opportunities for healthcare digital signage
Healthcare digital signage offers several opportunities for healthcare facilities to streamline operations and improve the overall patient experience.
Celebrate donors
You can use hospital signage to engage and thank donors by featuring messages of appreciation and gratitude which can foster a sense of connection and communication. The upside of recognizing donors is that it can strengthen your relationship with your supporters. Additionally, when donors see their names on your signage, they may experience a sense of connection to your facility, which can encourage them to continue supporting the facility. Also, this gesture can inspire potential donors to contribute to the growth of your facility, benefitting the entire community.
Emergency alerts
During an emergency or crisis, digital signage can display evacuation procedures to help patients navigate to the exits safely. This technology is especially beneficial if the patients have limited mobility, which could make it difficult to evacuate quickly. Additionally, the signage can keep the patients and visitors updated on the developments to reduce the risk of injuries and prevent panic. For instance, if your facility experiences a power outage, you can use digital signage displays to provide updates and ensure everyone is informed to prevent anxiety and confusion.
Patient entertainment
Most patients, young and old, are anxious about dental appointments, or even a routine checkup. Custom messages can highlight the benefits of medical appointments and help ease the patient's anxiety about consulting the doctor.
Entertainment in the waiting room helps a lot in decreasing the perceived waiting time, and in the process, distracts patients from their ailing conditions. High-quality content that targets the specific needs and wants of patients is the best approach to keep them at ease before their turn is up. Additionally, you can provide a more personalized experience for the patients: entertainment options such as games, TV shows, and movies to keep them engaged, which can reduce their focus on their illness and improve their mood.
Makes way-finding easier
Hospitals can be mazes sometimes, making it difficult for patients and visitors way to the front desk, a specialist department, the washrooms, or the wards. Waiting room signs for doctors' offices makes it easier for patients to locate different offices easily, preventing confusion and commotion in the hallways. Your signage can display directions to various places in your facility, including patient rooms, cafeterias, and clinics. The technology allows visitors and patients to move around without needing staff assistance, allowing your staff to focus on other important tasks. Additionally, the signage can showcase information about important landmarks and floor maps, making orientation easy.
Interactive graphics and custom texts simplify the message. Unlike static maps, they are easily noticeable to help patients or visitors easily find their way around.
Before implementing digital signage in a medical facility
Understand your target audience
Healthcare institutions target specific audiences based on different schedules of offering specialized care. For instance, an Ad on dental care may target everyone, or it may just target children below ten years.
Similarly, an Ad on maternal care can be targeting expectant or nursing mothers or even aim to inform fathers on how to care for their family pre- and post-delivery. Knowing the right audience helps you place the signage where it will have the maximum impact on your target audience.
Customize your message
In a healthcare setting, you can easily broadcast different messages, as long as the graphics are simple and easy to understand, and the information is relevant to the audience. Ideally, you can also compare your approach with your competition, so you can know what to do differently.
Locate Your Screen Strategically
Your message is only as effective as where you place it. It can be at the driveway to the parking lot, the hallway to different wards, or even near the admissions or inquiry desk. Wherever you place it, ensure it's the best place for your audience to see it.
Incorporate digital signage in the healthcare institution
Healthcare digital signage offers several benefits and opportunities for hospitals to enhance patient experience and improve communication. From staff communication to patient education and entertainment, this technology provides a medium for delivering real-time updates and personalized messages to promote health and wellness and boost revenue, the power to entertain and educate visitors and reduce dwell time in waiting areas. As technology advances, this solution is bound to become an integral part of the healthcare industry.
Look Digital Signage Service is your caring software partner to help you sufficiently implement digital signage systems in your health facility and streamline the entire brand communication and advertising. You can remotely manage all your screens in each location and create engagement broadcasting scenarios through the easy-to-use Look Content Manager. There is no need to stress over installing any additional software on your computer. You can use any browser to access a user-friendly web interface to set your playlist preferences. If you want to find out more about how you can start enjoying your Look digital signage software experience, contact us today so we can advise you on the best setup to use to meet your corporate needs.
