Epsom and St George's Hospitals Launch New Digital Wayfinding Service
Patients and visitors at Epsom and St George's Hospitals can now use a new digital wayfinding service to navigate the facilities. The system offers personalized routes and accessibility features, with interactive kiosks available for those without mobile devices.
Key takeaways
- Epsom and St George's Hospitals have launched a new digital wayfinding service.
- The service provides personalized routes and accessibility features for patients and visitors.
- Interactive kiosks are available at Epsom Hospital from July 15 and St George's from mid-August.
- The project is funded by the New Hospital Programme Innovation Fund to improve hospital navigation.
What Happened
Epsom and St George's Hospitals, part of the St George’s Epsom St Helier NHS Hospitals group, have introduced a new digital wayfinding service. This service aims to assist patients and visitors in navigating the hospital grounds more easily.
Background
The initiative is part of the New Hospital Programme (NHP) Innovation Fund, which provided funding for a pilot project at St George's and Epsom Hospitals. The goal of the pilot is to assess how digital navigation can enhance the experience for patients and visitors and to gather insights for future hospital designs and improvements within existing NHS properties. This project aligns with the NHP's objective of creating more navigable hospitals with improved wayfinding to support patient independence and efficient staff care.
Key Facts
- A new digital wayfinding service has been launched at Epsom and St George's Hospitals.
- The service allows patients and visitors to plan routes from home to their destinations within the hospitals.
- Interactive wayfinding kiosks and touchscreens are available at Epsom Hospital from July 15.
- Kiosks and touchscreens will be rolled out at St George's Hospital from mid-August.
- A version for St Helier Hospital is planned for early 2027.
- Research suggests 87% of patients ask for directions in hospitals, and 30% of first-time visitors get lost.
- Funding for the digital wayfinding service came from the New Hospital Programme (NHP) Innovation Fund.
Why It Matters
The digital wayfinding service is designed to simplify hospital visits, reduce stress for patients and visitors, and improve accessibility. By providing clear directions and alternative routes for varying mobility needs, the service aims to make it easier for more individuals to navigate the hospital environment independently. The introduction of interactive kiosks ensures accessibility for those who do not have mobile devices or prefer not to use them. Insights gathered from this pilot are intended to inform the design of future hospitals and enhance existing NHS estates, promoting more efficient care and a welcoming environment.
Sources reviewed
Project Chintan independently synthesized and analyzed information cross-checked across the sources listed above.
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