How hospitals can help patients get to appointments on time.

Getting around a hospital can be very difficult. There are many signs that try to be helpful by showing strange names like Endocrinology (Hormones) and Otorhinolaryngology (Ear, Nose, Throat).  When you ask for directions, people often say things like “go the West side of the building”.  Without a compass, this kind of information is as helpful as directions in Venice that tell you to walk straight.

While doctors and nurses who work in the hospital may know their way around, it is very difficult for everyone else.  Most visitors to a hospital are there for the first time and a usually under a heightened state of stress and or pain.  Additionally after people are admitted to a bed, they have to give directions to friends and family to come visit.  This creates a blind leading the blind situation.

To solve this problem, most hospitals post maps around the building like this excerpt from the Stanford Hospital.

Map shows Stanford Hospital and Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

To get someplace, you look at the map, find the, “You are here sticker”, find where you are going from the list of strange sounding names and then figure out which way to walk.  After walking for a while you may recheck the map to make sure you are still headed in the right direction.  This whole process can take 10 minutes which is time you do not have when you are late for an appointment.  In communication theory, the process of reading a map is called decoding.  Most people do not encode maps quickly under stress.

Instead, hospitals should take advantage of people’s natural ability to follow a linear path and paint lines on the floor.  Instead of saying, “Go past Radiology, right at Endocrinology and left at Obstetrics” people would give directions by saying, “Blue Line 45”.

Here is how it would work.  A hospital like Stanford should paint lines on the floor similar to a subway.  The green line would lead to Cardiology while the yellow line would go to Labor and Delivery.  Colors that are difficult for people who are colorblind should be avoided.  In addition to the painted lines, a numbering system should be used similar to house addresses or freeway exits.  Zero should start at one end and then numbers for each yard should be used.  If one office is at zero, then the next office 21 feet away would be at 7.

Colored lines help you get around the hospital quickly.

When giving directions to someone, all you have to say is Green Line 79 and people would instantly be able to find the location.  The numbers will tell you if you have to go up or down the line and maps would show you where to transfer.  Each major entrance to the hospital would have a sign that shows you the shortest path to each of the lines from that entrance.

By adopting this numbered subway system, hospitals can make it easier for first time visitors to get around especially during a time of personal stress.  Not only would this make life easier for patients, but it would also cut down on unproductive time caused by late appointments.  This would also be helpful to suppliers, contractors and new interns would be able to reach their destination quicker.  Additionally, hospital staff would spend less time giving directions and could spend more time providing patient care.