While all of this is an important part of the process, it all pales in comparison to the most crucial aspect in whiteboard design: understanding how they will be used as patient communication tools. 

Whiteboards are a Communication Tool, Not “Add-On” Products

Patient room whiteboards may seem like simple add-on products. It’s easy to treat them like many other patient room furniture purchases, by essentially lumping them in with chairs, hideaway beds and other auxiliary pieces of furniture, but patient room whiteboards are so much more than simple add-on products. Treating them like an afterthought can impact the patient experience and even lower HCAHPS scores.

Established science and evidence-based practices support the importance of whiteboards in patient treatment. They are not only useful tools, they are an integral part of the entire hospital experience. They help keep patients and families informed of vital information, they help nurses and providers convey useful information, and they help bridge the gap between patients and providers that causes medical errors and puts patients at risk.

Invest Time and Thought Into Whiteboard Design

There are two ways to approach the purchase of patient room whiteboards. The first is to work with a company that treats them as pieces of furniture, as just another piece to place on a wall This tends to be indicative of whiteboard providers that treat patient room boards as “add-on” products, or if they specialize in something like wayfinding. Patient room whiteboards, and patient communication, are not their specialty; hospital whiteboards are just another product they offer.

The second method is to invest some time and thought into the design and purchase of patient room boards, to ask how these useful tools can be integrated into your facility and your treatment plan. This latter approach will yield significantly better results, especially if you work with a company who has ample experience providing custom whiteboards in the healthcare space. 

Space is limited on every whiteboard, and the information fields you place on the board are just as important as the ones you leave off. It’s this comprehensive design process that transforms a simple whiteboard into a comprehensive communication tool that can be used to improve communication, increase efficiency and drive up the ROI value of your whiteboard investment.

How to Create Whiteboards That Provide Value to Patients and Providers

If you are uncertain how to design a whiteboard that maximizes efficiency and wholly improves patient communication in healthcare settings, the best thing you can do is work with a company who specializes in custom hospital whiteboards. At Ghent Healthcare, we have designed and placed whiteboards at hospitals all over the country. We have spent the time required to understand the information healthcare providers need to effectively communicate with patients and the information patients actually find useful. We can help you design a whiteboard that is not only an effective communication tool, but one that fits your facility’s design style, brand and overall mission. Contact our team today for a free design consultation.