Custom directional signs are an indispensable part of any healthcare facility. They assist in increasing the wayfinding for patients, visitors, and staff through complex hospital environments to ensure that all can find their way through to different departments, clinics, and services.
These signs also come in a variety of styles and materials, from wall-mounted to standing floor signs and even illuminated ones. Each has a purpose, from highlighting the entrance, designating the restroom, or even just giving directions to the emergency department.
Optimal Placement of Directional Signs
The placement of directional signs is as important as the effectiveness behind them. At the hospital, signs should be placed in such a manner so that visibility and readability are attained. Here are a few important tips for placing these indicators :
- Entry Points: Signs should be located at each major entry point. Directions to key areas-e.g., emergency, outpatient service, visitor parking-should be easily visible upon arrival by patients and visitors.
- Corridors and Intersections: Long hallways and intersections should have visible signs. The use of the overhead and wall-mounted types will enable clear and consistent directions.
- Waiting Areas: Places where a number of people are waiting, such as reception areas and lobbies, provide information about the location of various departments, restrooms, and exits.
- Elevators and Stairs: These signs, placed near the elevators and stairwells, should indicate which floor the user must proceed to for multi-story building institutions.
Auditing Your Existing Sign System
An audit helps ensure that the current system of signs supports the needs of your facility, fills information gaps throughout the journey, helps create better flow, and serves to improve experiences. The following is how to conduct an audit:
- Current Sign Assessment: Take a walk through your facility and complete an inventory of existing signs. Note their condition and visibility. Are they still relevant, or have changes been made in departments and services that need to be updated?
- Gather Feedback: Discuss navigation experiences with the staff and visitors. In this way, they can give you an idea of which points commonly cause confusion, thus helping identify other places where more or clearer signs may be needed.
- Evaluate Placement: Consider the placement of your signs. Are they visible from multiple viewpoints? Are they guiding traffic through the facility as intended? Make adjustments to optimize both view and direction.
- Compliance: Make sure your signs are in conformance with local legislation and accessibility standards. This is very important within the health space because you are supposed to accommodate every kind of patient, even the disabled.
- Keep Updated Plans: It is important and very helpful to plan on updating your sign system periodically so that it does not continue to show outdated information. This proactive approach ensures that your facility remains navigable and responsive to the needs of all patrons.
Reach out to Simply Divine Signs to discuss how we can help with a new sign system for your hospital.