Navigational technology is being built into healthcare facility apps and kiosks to provide detailed indoor maps of medical facilities for patients and staff, according to an article on The Week website.
The tech is like Waze or Google Maps that is integrated directly into hospitals' own apps. The technology is a step in the right direction, as a study has shown that 30 to 40 percent of patients and visitors get lost at the hospital.
As soon as a patient parks her car at the parking garage, the app asks her where she wants to go. It then shows the most direct route, guiding the way with a stream of blue dots, vocal prompts, and visual landmarks.
Bluetooth beacons around the hospital help pinpoint the location of each user to within a couple of meters, rerouting them if they take a wrong turn.
A Shift in Healthcare Facilities Management
Trauma-Informed Design Transforms Boston Homeless Shelter
Inside One of Healthcare's Most Ambitious Hospital Projects
Disinfectant Contact Time: The Case for Biofilm Disruption
Texas HHSC Reaches Construction Milestone for Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo