Jun 7, 2022·edited Jun 7, 2022Liked by Rory Cellan-Jones
Hi Rory
A very interesting post from a Patient's perspective. Just over two years ago, I started a Google Mapping journey. I noticed a footpath that led from our Hospital site through a housing estate to my bus stop, was missing from Google Maps. The short-cut took only 5 minutes to walk compared with the suggested route on google maps showing a route of 20 minutes, which could deter potential bus/hospital users.
Two years on, I am now a Google Level 6 mapper, my edits to our NHS Hospital sites have been viewed not 1,000, or 10,000 or 100,000 times but THREE Million times! My goal is to improve Sustainable and Active Travel Links to the Hospital sites, but also reduce the perceived anxiety/stress, caused when travelling to and around the hospital sites.
Despite 3 million views, the Google team does not Trust me and will for unexplained reasons reject new edits from time to time -which I find very frustrating!
However on the positive side I have so far given teams meeting training, to six NHS Trusts who are now updating their estates footprint on Google maps. Only another 400+ NHS organisations to go.
Feel free to look at my edits Google address SY3 8XQ :)
"Oh you were lucky!" I had a MRI on my brain just about a year ago. Ear plugs and defenders but no music nor radio. Just the very loud noises, like being inside a metal bucket with someone hitting it from the outside. Still it did what we needed it to do. Shame that the rest of my body failed to get the memo.
I work at St George's hospital in Tooting and you can see through it on google maps, check it out! It helped me a lot when I first started working there.
This a very well known issue but there is a solution for that.
This is an issue for the patient : fear of being late on top of the stress of the medical exams and the likelihood to be ill.
This is an issue for the hospital and the care givers. The "no show" ! it completely disrupts the medical consultation department and the patient flow and makes the patient dissatisfied.
Indoor location technology, indoor mapping and step by step navigation feature are the solution. Here are some example of hospitals having implemented real and efficient way finding mobile app:
Here is a thought that MassGeneral, Boston MA USA, did. Colored lines that take you to various depts I.e. follow the Red line to Emer Dept, yellow to X-Ray, etc. all lines start at front entrance and each color drops off at it’s final destination.
Spot on with your observations! My last position of my IT career was swapping out IT desktops so trollying around 8 heavy desktops in two different hospitals in shropshire to a list of departments, you may think that Door 315 would be next to 316 but it rarely ever was! Nightmare of logistics and poor signage throughout.
Had exactly the same experience getting to the "Moorfield" eye clinic at Ealing Hospital with my 88 year old mother-in-law. Started with the out-of-order parking ticket machine (the only one that took card payment), luckily had an emergency supply of cash to pay the £5.90 for 3hr parking. Then struggled up to the hill to the main entrance, from where we navigated through the maze of the hospital, with signs that stop and start. No crib sheet for us, just had to stop every passing doctor or nurse for directions. When we arrived, we were told off for coming in the wrong way! Excellent medical care once we got to the clinic. Why are the doctors not taking an interest in the admin of their hospitals?
Hi Rory
A very interesting post from a Patient's perspective. Just over two years ago, I started a Google Mapping journey. I noticed a footpath that led from our Hospital site through a housing estate to my bus stop, was missing from Google Maps. The short-cut took only 5 minutes to walk compared with the suggested route on google maps showing a route of 20 minutes, which could deter potential bus/hospital users.
Two years on, I am now a Google Level 6 mapper, my edits to our NHS Hospital sites have been viewed not 1,000, or 10,000 or 100,000 times but THREE Million times! My goal is to improve Sustainable and Active Travel Links to the Hospital sites, but also reduce the perceived anxiety/stress, caused when travelling to and around the hospital sites.
Despite 3 million views, the Google team does not Trust me and will for unexplained reasons reject new edits from time to time -which I find very frustrating!
However on the positive side I have so far given teams meeting training, to six NHS Trusts who are now updating their estates footprint on Google maps. Only another 400+ NHS organisations to go.
Feel free to look at my edits Google address SY3 8XQ :)
Kr
Alex
NHS Travel planner
Aintree have got their own wayfinding app. https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/aintree-hospital-wayfinding/id1369131039
"Oh you were lucky!" I had a MRI on my brain just about a year ago. Ear plugs and defenders but no music nor radio. Just the very loud noises, like being inside a metal bucket with someone hitting it from the outside. Still it did what we needed it to do. Shame that the rest of my body failed to get the memo.
I work at St George's hospital in Tooting and you can see through it on google maps, check it out! It helped me a lot when I first started working there.
Genuine brainwave of an idea. 😊
'... that little staircase to the side... "
I wonder if the instructions would have been any different if you'd presented with any mobility issues?
The MRI hub was temporary, the MRI is back in the main building now
This a very well known issue but there is a solution for that.
This is an issue for the patient : fear of being late on top of the stress of the medical exams and the likelihood to be ill.
This is an issue for the hospital and the care givers. The "no show" ! it completely disrupts the medical consultation department and the patient flow and makes the patient dissatisfied.
Indoor location technology, indoor mapping and step by step navigation feature are the solution. Here are some example of hospitals having implemented real and efficient way finding mobile app:
https://www.polestar.eu/markets/healthcare/
Here is a thought that MassGeneral, Boston MA USA, did. Colored lines that take you to various depts I.e. follow the Red line to Emer Dept, yellow to X-Ray, etc. all lines start at front entrance and each color drops off at it’s final destination.
Jerry… (from across the pond in MA USA
Spot on with your observations! My last position of my IT career was swapping out IT desktops so trollying around 8 heavy desktops in two different hospitals in shropshire to a list of departments, you may think that Door 315 would be next to 316 but it rarely ever was! Nightmare of logistics and poor signage throughout.
Tim Dowling makes similar comments: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/may/28/tim-dowling-its-my-first-mri-can-i-manage-not-to-hit-the-panic-button?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
Had exactly the same experience getting to the "Moorfield" eye clinic at Ealing Hospital with my 88 year old mother-in-law. Started with the out-of-order parking ticket machine (the only one that took card payment), luckily had an emergency supply of cash to pay the £5.90 for 3hr parking. Then struggled up to the hill to the main entrance, from where we navigated through the maze of the hospital, with signs that stop and start. No crib sheet for us, just had to stop every passing doctor or nurse for directions. When we arrived, we were told off for coming in the wrong way! Excellent medical care once we got to the clinic. Why are the doctors not taking an interest in the admin of their hospitals?