{"id":1170,"date":"2011-11-08T00:42:42","date_gmt":"2011-11-07T13:42:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.rch.org.au\/inthenews\/?p=1170"},"modified":"2015-04-29T13:58:19","modified_gmt":"2015-04-29T03:58:19","slug":"families-test-new-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.rch.org.au\/news\/families-test-new-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Local families test our new hospital"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>A selection of children and their parents were given special access to the new RCH today to test the exciting new wayfinding system.<\/p>\n

A wayfinding strategy has been developed to help patients, families and staff find their way around the new hospital.\u00a0 It includes colourful themes and graphics applied to patient areas, as well as signage and other tools.<\/p>\n

In true\u00a0Amazing Race<\/em> style, families were provided a letter naming\u00a0the hospital\u00a0destination they were required to reach unescorted.\u00a0 The families were then sent on their ways to rely upon the wayfinding tools in the hospital to reach various areas\u00a0including wards, specialist clinics and Pharmacy.\u00a0 Most families reached their destinations easily, while some took the odd wrong turn.<\/p>\n

Despite\u00a0the children viewing the exercise as\u00a0a\u00a0fun game,\u00a0it formed an important element of the wayfinding strategy’s evaluation process.\u00a0 To conclude the exercise, families participated in a detailed survey and group forum with the strategy’s designer, Buro North, to ensure their feedback was collected.<\/p>\n

Buro North will use participants’ feedback to place the final refinements on the wayfinding tools before patients move in on 30 November.<\/p>\n