AIM
To reconceptualise the experience of waiting for Specialist Clinic appointments through application of web user experience and interface design, co working and start up interior design and hospitality service models.
BACKGROUND & METHOD
Experience design is a new discipline which incorporates the sensorial and the symbolic. Companies utilise this new field in the corporate world to capitalise on the experience economy. The starting premise for the improvements to the waiting room were that positive experiences are designable; using the five senses as the starting trigger for the patient experiences we sought to redesign the significance, intensity, interaction and duration of their time in the waiting room. The implementation of waiting room improvements focused on changing the meaning of waiting and provide a design enabled interface with our patient’s values. Feedback was sort from patients in real time and rapid improvement cycles followed using the plan, do, study, act methodology.
RESULTS
We implemented the following within a three month timeframe.
Implementations of a concierge style volunteer model
Communal tables
Working stations with power points and tablet and smart phone rechargers
Establishment of a micro kitchen
Pop up live music
Pop up poetry reading and story telling
Artist in residence
Dynamic seating arrangement maximising patient engagement
Improved way finding
Improved cleanliness of facilities
Early detection of clinical deterioration through volunteer rounding
VIP model of service for pain and palliate care patients
Hourly communication of estimated waiting times
Puzzles and board games
Patient feedback communication board
CONCLUSION
Improvements can be made to existing patient waiting areas that produce maximum benefit to the patient waiting experience with minimal cost. Utilising the knowledge base from user experience experts, experience designers and other non-health contexts can facilitate successful experiences for patients that are meaning – filled and promote engagement and wellbeing.