Hospital-Wide Wayfinding Cuts Patient Navigation Complaints by 61%
Interactive wayfinding kiosks and patient information displays across a 6-campus health system
Project Background
Summit Health System operates six hospital campuses across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, collectively serving over 1.2 million patient visits annually. Patient experience surveys consistently identified wayfinding as a top frustration — the campuses had grown organically over decades, resulting in complex, confusing layouts that even long-tenured staff found difficult to navigate.
The health system's patient experience team identified that navigation-related complaints accounted for 18% of all negative patient feedback, and that late arrivals due to wayfinding confusion were contributing to appointment scheduling inefficiencies. Summit approached Coffman Media to design and deploy a comprehensive digital wayfinding solution that would work across all six campuses while maintaining compliance with healthcare-specific regulations including HIPAA and ADA accessibility standards.
The Challenge
- 1Six campuses with different layouts, building ages, and infrastructure capabilities required individualized system designs
- 2HIPAA compliance required that no patient-identifiable information could be displayed on public-facing screens
- 3ADA accessibility standards mandated specific kiosk heights, audio output capabilities, and touch interface requirements
- 4The health system's IT department required integration with their existing Epic EHR system for real-time wait time data
- 5Clinical operations could not be disrupted during installation — all work had to occur in phases during off-peak hours
Our Solution
Coffman Media designed a phased deployment strategy that addressed each campus individually while maintaining a unified user experience across the entire health system. Our healthcare-specialized team conducted detailed site surveys at all six campuses, mapping patient flow patterns and identifying the highest-impact wayfinding intervention points.
We deployed 84 custom-fabricated ADA-compliant interactive wayfinding kiosks featuring 32-inch touchscreens with audio output, high-contrast display modes, and adjustable-height mounting systems. The wayfinding software was custom-configured with accurate floor plans for all six campuses, with turn-by-turn navigation that guides patients from parking to their specific appointment destination.
Patient information displays were installed in waiting areas throughout all campuses, showing real-time wait times (pulled via HL7 interface from Epic), health education content, and facility information — all carefully designed to comply with HIPAA requirements.
Project Deliverables
- 84 ADA-compliant interactive wayfinding kiosks across 6 campuses
- Custom wayfinding software with accurate floor plans for all campuses
- HL7 integration with Epic EHR for real-time wait time display
- 156 patient information displays in waiting areas and corridors
- HIPAA-compliant content management system
- Staff training program and ongoing technical support contract
Measurable Outcomes
The Summit Health System wayfinding deployment delivered measurable improvements to patient experience, operational efficiency, and staff satisfaction within the first six months of full operation.
"Our patients now arrive at their appointments with confidence instead of frustration. The Coffman Media team understood the unique requirements of a healthcare environment — the HIPAA compliance, the ADA requirements, the clinical workflow constraints — and delivered a solution that addressed all of them without compromise."
Project Summary
Services Delivered
Coffman Media's installations have been recognized by AVIXA, DSF, and the Digital Signage Federation for excellence in integration and design.
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