Have any of your facilities added a self-serve information screen, kiosk, or desk to allow visitors to request patient location information?  It is an interesting idea that would augment our ability to help visitors when our information desks are not staffed.  The visitor keys in the patient name and either sees a message saying "Mary Jones is in room 333", or "I'm sorry, that name does not appear on our patient census".  If any of you have experience with technology like this, I'd love to hear from you.

I would be interested in something like this.  We don't always have our information desk staffed.  We do have a d phone with a sign next to it telling visitors to dial 7188 for patient information or 718 in case of emergency.

A person of course is much better though at this point not always possible.

 

 

If this is a vendor supplied product, I would be interested in knowing about it.  After all those much younger than I am would rather go to a computer and look up information than talk to a real person any day.

 

If it is a vendor product, I am sure they checked out the HIPPA angle.  My guess is you would have to type the name in EXACTLY as the patient was registered in admitting and if there was any chance of a duplicate match it would ask for additional information.

We also have an electronic board in the Surgery waiting areas, but it does not post names.  Instead, family members get a number corresponding to their patient and information about the patient's where-a-bouts are posted next to their number.  Only the family members with the number know what it means.  I, too, would be interested in knowing about a self-serve kiosk for the information giving areas. 

The touch screen technology has been around since the 80's.  Elo touch is the company we purchased our touch monitors for the DVS Manager and now Vic Touch for Volgistics. There are information stations like this at Visitor Welcome Centers when you enter new states.  I'll do some investigating and get back with the group.  When we first put in the DVS Manager in 1986, we also proposed using this type of kiosk in the Medical Office buildings, lobby areas etc. as a way for people to locate their physician's suite, patient information, or their destination for outpatient testing such as MRI, Radiology, day surgery etc.