Tips for Making the Wayfinding Plan and Signage for Medical Facilities Effective
Because most hospitals have been around for several decades and have undergone several renovations and additions, visitors and patients often view them as being a labyrinth of hallways and departments that they have to navigate while they are dealing with stressful health and life situations. Medical personnel and facility managers should realize that the wayfinding plan and the interior signage of a hospital or medical center play a critical role in how a healthcare facility functions. Therefore, a healthcare center’s signage solution demands careful review and analysis – from ADA to wayfinding to legibility and much more. To view more ADA information for Healthcare facilities, check out our blog post ADA Signage and Universal Design: Universal Healthcare Symbols.
We found an interesting article posted on Medical Office Today that addressed signage specifically for medical offices, “Signage for Your Practice: Negotiating the best options to draw attention”. One of the points addressed is why signage is important. An excerpt from the article explains, “Signage provides the medical tenant with exposure to passing traffic—to people who may not be aware of the existence of the medical office,” says Jeremy Behar, president of Cirrus Consulting Group in Toronto. It also provides better visibility for elderly and infirm patients. The additional exposure helps build brand recognition, which can increase your patient base. Therefore, signage is good for growing the business, and also for keeping current patients happy. For these reasons, physicians with signage generally have an advantage over those who don’t.”
The article continues to provide tips for negotiating signage with tenants. Many new businesses not only face local code and zoning requirements, but also restrictions placed by tenants. It is important to understand these factors upfront, as signage is an important driver of brand recognition and helping new and existing clients located your business.
ISA is an advocate for the signage industry and also provides a lot of resources for understanding and evaluating signage. Here are a few links we recommend you also view:
The Right Sign for Your Business