12.17.2013

Wayfinding and healthcare

What’s wayfinding and why does it matter for healthcare facilities? Wayfinding signage is all around you, from bright green highway signs telling you which exit is which, to wall mounted signs in a building lobby telling you what floor and room to find your doctor’s office. How does wayfinding signage affect healthcare? You’ve created your logo and brought it to life, and now people want to come to your facilities, but where do they drop off patients? Where do they park? Where is your emergency room, your patients’ rooms, and your physicians’ offices? Where’s the cafeteria and the gift shop? Where do patients go for their blood test or x-ray?

Inside and out, proper wayfinding signage is a vital part of superior customer service and patient care. It also makes your facilities look professional and “with it,” and lets your employees focus on doing their jobs instead of having to guide lost visitors to their destination, or having to ask for directions themselves!

Consistency and a clean look

What’s the secret to wayfinding signage for healthcare facilities? Consistency and simplicity, of course! However, it’s no easy task to give simple directions. While good descriptions and word choice are vital, you also need to consider color, typeface, materials, placement, and lighting in order to get your carefully worded labels and instructions noticed. You want your elderly patients to be able to see and read your signs, for instance. Better yet, you want to select a color scheme that makes it easy to tell where you are, even if you don’t understand the words on a sign.

You also want to consider maintenance and safety. There’s no point in having the perfect sign if it won’t stand up to harsh weather in the parking lot. You don’t want sharp edges or corners that could harm little ones visiting their pediatrician. You don’t want to have to worry about your signs’ ability to take abuse in the unpredictable environments of emergency rooms and intensive care units.

Landmark Sign Group can help you point the way!

Landmark Sign Group can give your hospital, doctor’s office, immediate care facility, or nursing and rehabilitation center a like-new look that lasts! Contact one of our experts today to start pointing your patients in the right direction for years to come.