Abbott Northwestern Hospital uses wayfinding systems to improve patient experience

[Xtelligent Healthcare Media, February 19, 2020] The GPS system isn’t just a way of the road anymore. Increasingly, these tools—known in healthcare as digital wayfinding systems – are being implemented in hospitals, where patients have to navigate winding hallways, multiple departments, and different admission and visitation protocol.

This approach isn’t exactly new. Hospitals have long tracking out the course of their halls, providing maps and directories peppered with “you are here” stars helping patients and their family visitors to stay on route. But the health technology boom has revamped these tools, helping to assuage nerves and create for a frictionless patient experience.

At least that was the case at Allina Health, a Minnesota-based health system that also serves some patients in Western Wisconsin. With about 30,000 employees, 11 hospitals, 52 rehabilitation centers, and over 90 clinics, Allina leadership saw a need to make care navigation a seamless and less stressful part of the patient experience.

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