Designing the ER Inpatient Experience
Ha-Emek Hospital
Public
Social
Healthcare
Major emergency room service scenarios redesigned. We visually separated the emergency waiting areas, based on different severity levels. Waiting areas were designed to be informative, entertaining and enjoyable, and to reduce friction between inpatients and staff. Components in the roles of staff members have been changed, to design contact points that advance the patient and the caregiver in the treatment process, enabling certainty and a sense of control.
“Nobody talks to you from the minute you step into the ER...You have no idea what’s your next step or even when it’s going to be! It’s a black hole. So frustrating!” (A person escorting a patient)
The Challenge
Redesigning the patient experience at a hospital’s Emergency Room, from the earliest stage on, keeping in mind all other relevant stakeholders involved.
The Project
Through ethnographic research that included tools such as: in-depth interviews, shadowing, immersion as patients, cultural probes and observations, we gathered a profound understanding of the existing patient journey in the ER. Based on this, we ideated on future patient experiences in the ER, taking into consideration the needs and wishes of the patients and all other stakeholders in the ER ecosystem.
The Outcome
The project led to several changes in the ER that created influential impact for the patients as well as the doctors, nurses and administrative staff.
The waiting areas in the ER were configured differently according to the level of urgency. In addition, they were also designed to be informative, entertaining and pleasant. All visual communication was designed to be simple, clear and helpful.
