On December 12, 2020 Northwest Lower Michigan experienced its first winter storm of the winter season. And combined with holiday lights and a wood-burning fireplace, it made for some spectacularly festive views - the dog loved it, as you can see!
But imagine if you were a tree in the woods, rooted in place and dealing with this onslaught.
Individually, each snowflake is manageable. During the course of the storm, there are millions that float by in their seemingly innocuous trajectory. However for those that land, the weight becomes less and less manageable until ultimately, the tree is bent almost beyond recognition. Some snap under the strain.
But aren’t all trees able to handle this? What is it that assures some survive? The answer lies in their design.
The answer lies in a tree’s design.
Some deciduous trees have shed their leaves, once useful for photosynthesis; but in a heavy snowstorm they become a liability. Many trees invest in multiple trunks positioned at different angles to share the burden of feeding the main body. Similarly, coniferous trees with a solid base seem to manage the additional weight more easily.
In the middle of a forest, however, some trees put all their energy into one primary trunk as they seek sunlight in competition with taller trees. They hold their leaves longer to maximize their investment as more sunlight becomes available later in the year. And as they invest in concentrations of leaves or needles at higher altitudes to gain that sunlight, they sacrifice the necessary balance of a strong, stable base.
Okay, so all these hiker’s observations may be interesting (or not), but how do they relate to wayfinding?
The Winter Storm Effect
Think of your staff: the caregivers circulating through the halls everyday, posted at unit desks or in offices close to public circulation. Much like the tree in the middle of the woods, they are rooted to their units, their routines. They see people “float by in their seemingly innocuous trajectory.” However for those in need of help, the weight of distraction, interruption and personal escort become less and less manageable.
But aren’t healthcare cultures and facilities meant to handle this? What is it that assures that some survive? The answer, again, lies in their design.
You may have a policy to greet everyone with eye contact, a warm smile and an offer to help if needed. But once COVID vaccinations have taken hold and people return to your facility for the procedures they’ve been putting off, the combined “weight” of these interventions may eventually cause your culture to snap. A system of proactive wayfinding elements will empower guests rather than causing them to ask for help.
Investing all of your energy into one trunk can be problematic when the pressure is on.
Some trees hang onto their leaves too long: eventually they become a liability.
Problem #1: a single trunk
Relying on the elusive “silver bullet” to solve wayfinding challenges, whether you’ve been sold a digital platform or physical signage, may not consider other ways that people are navigating. For instance, if changes to your facility have occurred, a patient may be coming assuming they already know how to get around - and they’ll be confused.
Almost as soon as wayfinding tools are launched, they can be outdated. Using several platforms, managed by multiple departments only exacerbates the disconnects - for staff and patients.
Like the trees that invest in multiple trunks at multiple angles from a single starting point, we can help design a system that diversifies the burden of communication (print, digital, verbal, training and the built environment) to better support your wayfinding culture.
Problem #2: hanging onto leaves
You’ve likely invested a lot of money in those tools, and “by God you’re going to get your money’s worth.”
But anyone who studies complex communication systems knows that it takes multiple efforts, by multiple people, to maintain the effectiveness of those systems. Learning and adapting must be part of the process.
An early focus on a human-centered approach to assessment can help you avoid investments that come at too high a cost: either financially or for your patient/staff experience.
Problem #3: Imbalance
The primary burden of sharing wayfinding information often falls disproportionately on those who are least equipped to manage it: volunteers, busy nurse practitioners, even contract staff in coffee stands or parking garages.
Decision makers may fail to see this burden, since their experience of the problem is less evident. Ultimately they may see it reflected in lower HCAHPS scores, but by then it’s too late.
You can build a strong base of wayfinding communication by training everyone: staff, contractors and volunteers to consistently reference integrated tools in a proactive approach to communicating concisely and correctly. And share your knowledge with patients and families throughout their journey.
The time to prepare? Now.
Thankfully we can look toward a day where COVID-19, with its visitor restrictions, won’t be as much of a barrier. Eventually that “snowstorm” of patients, family members, new residents, vendors and others will return to your physical and virtual hallways, each with their own trajectory. The time to prepare for this eventuality is now. Like the trees with multiple trunks, willing to shed their old leaves or designed with a solid base, your culture, people and facilities will be better able to manage the inevitable - by design.
Early investments in proactive wayfinding design can ease the burden of pandemic-related staff losses and the inability of many healthcare culture to maintain a stable financial bae. Like a successful tree, starting from a strong strategic base, making smaller, more diverse investments and maintaining daily discipline while adapting, learning and branching out - a flexible wayfinding approach will result in positive outcomes for months and years to come.
No matter what storms arise.
