From the experience during our site visits to the Rush University Medical Center and Mt. Sinai Hospital in Illinois Medical District, the importance of way finding in a healthcare facility has been surely determined. Rush University Medical Center did have the demarcation of zones in different colors and so they understood the fact that way-finding is essential for a good patient experience. But in my opinion, that wasn’t done to it’s full potential and we did lose our way to exit their building due to inefficient signage!
On the other hand, had Mr. James Bisak from Mt.Sinai Hospital not been at our rescue to guide us through the right direction to the conference room, we surely wouldn’t have known where we were headed!
From what the research summarizes, a successful design to promote way-finding allows people to :
(1) determine their location within a setting,
(2) determine their destination,
(3) develop a plan that will take them from their location to their destination
And the design of way-finding system should include :
(1) identifying and marking spaces
(2) grouping spaces
(3) linking and organizing spaces through architectural and graphic means
Creating as many ways to assist easy navigation through a healthcare facility reinforces the functionality of a building. It is essential to maximize the efficiency between the technical aspect, the built environment, and mainly the users of the facility. Proposing a universally understood theme is an important aspect of way-finding. Multi-language signage may not necessarily be enough and hence, the use of ADA for determining the right color guidelines stays important.
In the end, it’s all about focusing on what helps the patients and the visitors to not get lost in your facility!
#GRAPHICS, #MT. SINAI HOSPITAL #RUSH HOSPITAL, #WAYFINDING
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