Patients and visitors often find hospitals confusing. Large medical centers may have many entrances, different specialized departments in separate wings, and services on several floors. The challenge is not only finding the right clinic or doctor’s office but also locating parking decks, cafeterias, pharmacies, and emergency rooms.
When patients get lost or delayed, they can feel more anxious. This can lower patient satisfaction scores. Hospitals watch these scores closely because they can affect payments, reputation, and whether patients keep coming back. On the other hand, delays from losing their way can disrupt scheduled procedures, increase wait times, and reduce staff efficiency.
WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina, has worked with Gozio Health to create a mobile wayfinding platform. This app gives GPS-style directions that guide patients from home to parking spots and then to care points inside hospital buildings. It also includes appointment scheduling, wait times for emergency rooms, and access to patient portals.
Besides the app, WakeMed also uses on-site Guest Ambassadors who help visitors find their way. This shows how technology and personal help can work together to improve the patient’s experience.
GPS is not reliable indoors because signals get weak inside buildings. So, indoor navigation uses other technologies that can track locations accurately where it counts the most.
BLE beacons are small wireless devices placed throughout a hospital. They send signals to nearby smartphones or special devices. These devices figure out their location by measuring signal strength from several beacons. This helps give room-level accuracy, which is important in big hospitals.
For example, Kontakt.io’s AI-powered Real-Time Location System uses BLE tags on patient wristbands. This system tracks where patients are and can alert staff if a patient leaves an allowed area.
Many hospitals already have Wi-Fi everywhere. Using Wi-Fi for indoor positioning can create navigation systems without much new hardware. UWB is another choice that is more precise but may need extra devices. Some advanced hospitals use UWB to track important medical devices and help staff find their way.
Ericsson has built a system that uses 5G networks inside buildings to track locations with about 1 to 3 meters accuracy. It works with devices that already use 5G and does not need additional hardware.
In hospitals, this helps staff find mobile medical equipment fast. It saves time and avoids buying extra tools. It also speeds up emergency responses by giving quick access to devices and supplies.
These indoor navigation systems help patients by reducing stress and making it easier to find their way. They also improve patient satisfaction.
Key features include:
Also, staff have fewer questions to answer because patients get more help from the app.
Indoor navigation systems also help hospital staff work better and make hospital operations smoother.
By tracking where patients move, hospitals can spot delays or crowded areas. Staff can be alerted in real time about hold-ups. For example, cleaning teams can be told right away when a room is free, so beds are ready faster.
Kontakt.io’s system connects this location data with electronic health records (EHR) to help staff improve how long patients stay and speed up patient movement through the hospital.
Hospitals buy many mobile devices. Ericsson’s 5G-based system helps staff find these devices quickly. This avoids wasted time hunting for tools and makes sure equipment is ready in emergencies.
These systems collect data about how hospital spaces are used. Facility managers can then control lighting, heating, and air better. They can use energy more efficiently. In emergencies, accurate location tracking helps responders find people fast for evacuation or help.
Artificial intelligence (AI) helps make indoor navigation smarter by automating tasks and predicting problems.
AI looks at past navigation patterns to suggest the best routes for patients and staff. This cuts down crowding in hallways and avoids delays. The routes update automatically to avoid closed or busy areas.
AI also watches patient movements to stop them from leaving allowed areas. BLE tags send alerts if a patient moves beyond safe zones.
Systems send automatic messages about room readiness, equipment, and conditions like temperature or air quality. This helps staff do their work faster and focus more on patient care.
Modern navigation platforms connect with hospital schedules, electronic health records, and building management systems. For example, appointment times can trigger route guidance messages sent to patients. This helps manage the patient’s journey from admission to discharge.
Hospital administrators and IT managers must decide how to bring indoor navigation technology into their facilities.
Many navigation systems use existing Wi-Fi or 5G networks. This reduces cost and effort for setup. Solutions like those from Kontakt.io and Ericsson make use of current wireless systems.
Cloud-managed platforms allow fast installations. One hospital said it took just three to four months to integrate Kontakt.io’s system and launch the app.
These solutions can grow from small clinics to large campuses with many buildings.
Teaching staff and patients how to use apps or navigation aids is important. Mixing digital help with on-site support like guest ambassadors or service desks makes the switch easier.
The goal is to make navigation easier, not more complicated, for patients.
WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh partnered with Gozio Health to create a mobile app that helps patients and visitors navigate their large facilities.
The system includes three hospitals, many parking decks, healthplexes, and outpatient centers.
Features include:
According to Debbie Laughery, WakeMed’s Vice President of Marketing & Communications, this app supports their work to improve access and engage patients at every step.
This system works alongside Guest Ambassadors who help patients in person. Together, they improve the overall experience for visitors and patients.
Many hospitals in the U.S. and around the world are using location-based services as part of their digital upgrades.
For example, Mapsted has worked with partners like Vertel in Australia to promote indoor positioning systems for better service and efficiency.
Experts say that when patients can find their way easily, see shorter waits, and access real-time information, satisfaction improves. Also, these systems connect different healthcare data that used to be separate, helping safety.
Groups like the American Hospital Association support indoor navigation, showing that it is becoming more accepted in healthcare.
Indoor navigation systems offer good value for hospital administrators and IT managers. They help reduce patient stress and avoid delays. They also give better data and workflow automation for healthcare staff.
Using current wireless networks, the systems are easier to install and can grow with the hospital’s needs.
WakeMed’s example shows how these systems work in real life. AI makes them even better by automating communication, improving safety, and managing resources.
For hospitals wanting to improve patient satisfaction, workflow, and safety, indoor navigation technology is becoming an important choice in today’s healthcare world.
WakeMed is launching a mobile wayfinding and patient engagement app, collaborating with Gozio Health, to enhance navigation for patients and visitors within its facilities.
The app provides a GPS-like experience with turn-by-turn directions, guiding users from home to their specific point of care within any WakeMed facility.
The app not only offers navigation but also allows users to access their medical records, schedule appointments, and check wait times.
It features interactive maps for directing users to various locations like doctors’ offices, pharmacies, and dining options within WakeMed facilities.
In addition to the app, WakeMed has a team of Guest Ambassadors who assist patients and visitors in navigating the facilities.
The platform encompasses WakeMed’s three hospitals, several parking decks, three healthplexes, and multiple outpatient locations.
Gozio Health specializes in indoor navigation solutions, enhancing patient experience and integrating mobile technology into healthcare engagement strategies.
The app’s development is funded by The WakeMed Foundation, supporting innovation in patient navigation and access to care.
Experiential wayfinding is essential for improving patient experience, helping them navigate complex healthcare systems more easily.
Gozio’s wayfinding platform has received industry awards and endorsement from the American Hospital Association, highlighting its effectiveness in healthcare settings.
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