5 Healthcare messages with helpful hints
There’s a lot of helpful information, apps and services out there, especially dotted in and around NHS hospitals. However, it’s not that helpful if you don’t know it exists. Enter the beauty of the patient information screen. With the Patient Information Initiative it’s easy to point people in the right direction and to let them know that there are things out there that can make their lives and healthcare easier. Let’s take a look at how some of our partner hospitals manage to achieve just that.
1) How Much Is Too Much?
Quite the pertinent question during the silly season, when many people are staggering between parties, festivities and merriment with a drink in hand at all times. The NHS has built a handy Drinks Tracker app to help you monitor your alcohol intake as you go about your day, and keep track of how much you’re actually drinking during a week. The good people at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust display this message on their screens letting their patients know about the app and encouraging them to think about their drinking habits.
2) Google Maps at St George’s
If you’re not used to hospitals they can be large, confusing and slightly intimidating. St George’s Healthcare NHS Trust is helping out its patients and visitors by partnering with Google to create the first interactive hospital maps in the UK. This message lets everyone know that the maps are available and saves many a smartphone user a lot of hassle and bamboozlement.
3) Problems opening your medication?
We all understand the reasoning behind child-proof bottles for medications, but that doesn’t make them any less frustrating for people with conditions making them less able to open them! This message from the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust puts an end to the problem before a patient gets home and realises the difficulties. Many people don’t know that easy open tops are available or even think to ask until they’ve left the hospital and are struggling to take their prescriptions.
4) PregStop!
Contraception can be a tricky and somewhat sensitive topic to discuss. Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust have created a brilliant and informative website about contraception that gives good emergency and general advice. There’s even a quick link to book a contraceptive appointment. This message gives patients the option to be fully informed about all their choices before attending a clinic.
5) Large print
If you’re on more than one medication the bottles can begin to look similar and become easily confused over time. Not everyone has perfect eyesight, and this message from St George’s Healthcare Trust lets everyone know of their large print label service – helpful for anyone who wants to retain some independence in their healthcare.
Patient information screens are a great way to show case new services, websites and applications. A short message is all it takes to lead thousands of people to a more in-depth information source or a helpful service they may otherwise have overlooked.