poster abstractWaiting at a hospital is a challenge for patients and their families. Many
individuals go to the hospital, waiting for hours to receive their tests and
results. This waiting experience places a burden on individuals and causes
stress in a tense time in their lives.
This research was a partnership between healthcare providers and
graduate program of Design Thinking and Leadership, Department of
Visual Communication Design, Herron School of Art and Design. The goal
of this people-centered research was to examine and enhance the patient
waiting experience at the Registration, Lab and Radiology service areas of
a Carmel Hospital.
To understand the patient experiences, we approached the project utilizing
people-centered design methods. The design research team conducted
ethnographic observations and interviews involving patients and staff within
the Laboratory, Registration, and Radiology spaces at a hospital. In
responding to defined problems within these spaces, the design team
identified the desirable patient communication flow and developed an
integrative communication system that aligned with the touch points of the
patient journey. This communication system included wrist bands, digital
message boards, an expanded pager system, as well as redesigned
interior spaces.
The two major findings from the research were: One, current
communication levels between provider staff and patients resulted in
negative patient perceptions of the service. Two, patients wanted more
integrated ways to maintain communication between service providers and
themselves. From these findings, it was recommended that service
providers adapt a more integrated communication system to deliver an
optimal patient experience
