When it comes to their care, what do patients actually say about what they want?

Dayton Children’s Hospital takes healthcare innovation and patient comfort to new heights in its new 8-story patient tower, which opened in June 2017 in Dayton, OH. From the first steps inside, the tower feels less like a sterile hospital and more like a children’s adventure land to explore. Full of color, open space and interactive play areas for kids, the theme of the tower pays tribute to Dayton’s key role in the innovation of human flight. Everywhere guests look they see “things that fly.” As patients and guests travel up to the patient floors, they encounter cutting edge patient technology for entertainment, education and more.

User Experience (or UX) is the term that describes all aspects of a consumer’s interaction with a company, primarily those interactions that use technology. It is valuable because the quality of the user experience will influence whether the user chooses to come back and interact with the business again or recommend it to others. In healthcare, this is extremely valuable. First, a good user experience can influence a patient’s responses on exit surveys, which can only mean good things for you. Furthermore, going to the doctor or the hospital is not commonly thought of as a fun experience; patients are there because they must be there, and emotions are often running high. Creating a good user experience can help ease the stresses, frustrations, and discomfort the patients and their loved ones are feeling.

When shopping for entertainment solutions for patients, providers want to be sure the devices are safe, reliable, and are technically intuitive so they meet the high standards expected in healthcare. Since technology is constantly evolving, it can be challenging to know how displays differ technically from looking at them on the outside. Here's a checklist to check the hardware and software of the televisions to know if they are up to snuff to advance your facility to the cutting edge of technology and keep you there for years to come.

You are there for the crucial moments...

As healthcare providers it is your responsibility to care for patients during the crucial moments of their physical life. You guide individuals towards healing with your expertise and comfort them with your presence.

Part 3 of "Different Angles of Patient Engagement" Blog Series 

Previously, we discussed the experience of a large-screen footwall patient TV and considered the user experience of a hand held tablet, here we will look at placing an interactive patient tv at the bedside.

Part 2 of the "Different Angles of Patient Engagement" Blog Series 

Previously, we discussed the experience of a large-screen footwall patient TV. Here, we will dicuss the emergence of consumer tablets used in the patient room. 

Part 1 of "Different Angles of Patient Engagement" Blog Series 

In an effort to mirror the average patient's home environment, many healthcare facilities choose a large flat screen healthcare TV and place it on the footwall to liken a cinematic experience. This layout is conducive to entertain a group, but the application can pose challenges to a bedridden patient trying to utilize the interactive patient system. The issue simply boils down to the literal “gap” between the patient and the device causing some unexpected predicaments.

Considerations for transforming the patient experience.

In today's healthcare climate, hospitals must provide excellence in patient experience to be competitive and  successful. Many healthcare organizations are looking to technology to enhance patient experience and there are thousands of software options to choose from. Once the software is selected to fit the organizations workflows and goals, the hardware is often selected next. In many cases the hardware is selected based on price.

Innovative Technology Showcase in Intelligent Health Pavilion in Orlando, FL.