Practical Tips for Choosing the Right Digital Signage Solution [Healthcare Edition]

Looking to implement digital signage at your healthcare centre?

Congratulations! You’re on the right track to optimizing the patient experience.

But the challenge now is choosing the right solution for you. Choosing the wrong one can cause you big time — a hole burnt in your pocket and lasting damage to patient experience.

And with so many options, getting this decision right can be tricky. 

So, how do you select the one that aligns perfectly with your needs?

We’ve got you!

Whatever your goal is, this blog will be your compass to finding the right hospital digital signage.

1. Understand your objectives 

The first step is assessing why you need a digital signage solution in the first place. 

Outline your goals, current gaps you want to fix, and the impact you want to achieve with digital signage implementation.

Here are a few things to consider:

• Use case: Do you need healthcare wayfinding signage? Or do you need it for queue management, staff communication, or some other use case? 
• Team size: What’s your current team size? Do you have the team to handle operations? Some solutions are more hands-on than others. If you’re a lean team or are looking for solutions with less technical expertise, choose user-friendly options that need little to no IT intervention. 
• Budget: Determine how much you want to spend on the right hospital digital signage for you. If you’re starting from scratch, factor in hardware costs like LCD screens, touchscreen kiosks, and video walls depending on your use cases. However, if you’re only looking to switch to a new software, get quotes from different vendors to compare prices.
• Signage locations: Digital signage in healthcare is usually split between corporate communication and foundation messaging. In the first case, your main goal is to share important updates and alerts with your staff. These screens will be patient-facing in nurse stations, registration points, and counters.

On the other hand, foundation messaging is usually displayed on digital donor walls in lobbies, waiting rooms, and entrances to grab eyeballs and foster community spirit.

Once you’ve outlined your goals, you’re on the right track to finding the right one.

2. Compare product and service capabilities  

Now, on to the next step — scouring the digital signage market for your perfect fit. 

Although choosing from so many options can be overwhelming, keep your goals in mind. Some solutions are great for wayfinding, while others excel at streamlining communication. 

Other solutions, like L Squared, provide turnkey solutions for your end-to-end healthcare signage needs.

Use this analysis card to compare the product and service capabilities of different digital signage brands.

Once you’ve considered the pros and cons for each, you’re one step closer to finding the suitable signage solution for you.

3. Evaluate CMS abilities 

At the core of a successful display network is a high-functioning content management system (CMS). Think of it as the brain of your digital signage operation. 

That’s why a robust CMS is critical to manage content seamlessly. Look out for factors like scheduling, initial learning curve, updating, and monitoring multiple displays. 

Consider these features while evaluating the most appropriate medical digital signage:

• Scheduling: Look for a CMS that allows you to schedule content in advance. This will ensure you execute your content plan without glitches. 
• Ease of use: Since healthcare centres have to send quick updates in real time, opt for a clean, uncluttered interface to make the process simpler.
• Remote accessibility: Solutions like L Squared allow your content team to manage display networks from a centralized dashboard. So whether on or off-site, content management won’t be a challenge. 
• Customer service: Does your vendor offer proactive support? Are they reachable when you need help? Having the right support impacts the efficiency of your digital signage strategy.
• Restricted user permissions: This ensures only a specific group or department has access to a particular content type/folder. Not only does this ensure tight security, but it also keeps the process organized.
• Integration with your existing tech stack: Your digital signage solution should support easy integrations. The right hospital digital signage should complement your existing tech ecosystem, whether with your patient management system or social media feeds.

All these points are crucial when evaluating the most appropriate medical digital signage.

4. Future-proofing with scalable solutions 

You want a solution that can grow with your business. There’s nothing more frustrating than having your tech hold you back (especially after spending so much on it.)

Find a future-proof solution; one that will adapt to changing trends, needs, and demands of the future.

For example, MACH (Micro-services, API-first, Cloud-native, Headless) architecture supports a composable enterprise. This means that its system has built-in components – and these components are scalable, pluggable, and replaceable for diverse business needs. Any change in one component will not affect the other, maintaining the integrity of the solution. 

5. Feedback and analytics

Continuous improvement is critical in healthcare — and data gives you actionable insights to help you do better.

A digital signage solution with built-in reports and analytics makes it easier to gauge your performance. This goes beyond simply sharing content; it is about measuring the impact.

Here’s what analytics should help you do:

• Analyze content engagement: Different content types will have varying engagement rates. Analytics show the most effective formats and layouts, even within the same content type. A simple tweak to the design layout, content placement, or display time can do wonders for engagement.
• Monitor hardware performance: Beyond content, it’s critical to track the performance of your signage hardware itself. These include your display screens, interactive kiosks, video walls, and more. Metrics to look into are uptime, technical glitches, and planned downtimes for maintenance.
• Proof of play: This will help you monitor which content went up at what time, on what screen, for how long, and so on to give you a detailed understanding of your content air time.
  
  

6. Factor in customizability 

Your business goals are unique — your tech solutions should be, too.

Choose a solution that is customizable to your needs and goals. This includes design, deployment, integration, and maintenance based on your needs.

Be upfront with vendors about your expectations, requirements, and needs. Vet those who can meet your needs and shortlist them as you go.

Note: Set a boundary to your customization requests. You don’t want to risk scalability by altering the system too much. Be sure to cross-check these details with your vendor before you proceed.

7. Don’t compromise on security and compliance

We need not say this — security and compliance are crucial factors to evaluate when choosing the right hospital digital signage. 

Whatever solution you go for, ensure that it covers all the security protocols to avoid any legal issues, data breaches, or security threats. 

Here are a few things to take note of:

• Vet your vendor: Not all signage solutions have the same level of security. Cross-check hardware for durability, sustainability, and strong housing settings. Vet for software flexibility, enterprise-grade security, and SOC 2 certification.  
• Secure your operating system: Warn hackers away with a fire-proof OS. Block unwanted traffic with a firewall, install all software updates, and limit open access as much as possible. 
• Application/Platform security: Choose a vendor who conducts regular security audits. Go for secured connections (HTTPS), end-to-end data encryption, two-factor authentication, and options with SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificates. 
  
  

You're all set!

That concludes our list of tips for you. Now the ball is in your court!

Remember, choosing the right hospital digital signage is more than choosing the right technology. It’s a strategic move that can put your healthcare brand at the forefront. The right solution has the power to improve operational efficiency and transform patient experiences at your facility. 

If you’re looking for a turnkey digital signage solution, contact info@LSquared.com for more information.