Commercial Interior Décor: Improving Patient and Customer Experiences

Beyond wayfinding and wallpaper, there are other opportunities in the space to keep an eye on. A few examples:

• Wraps inside elevators that both help to reduce the spread of germs, but also allow hospitals to convey branding or messaging.
• Wraps for MRI machines — Wittenberg recalls one project he came across where a colorful and fun wrap was used, and the facility in question found that it reduced the fear and stress in patients who had to undergo a scan.
• Custom graphics for individual hospital or exam rooms, making each one unique. Especially in facilities that cater to children, this can be a fun way to make them more comfortable and less afraid.
• Magnetic wallpapers in hospital rooms that allow staff to change the scene based on the patient’s age or interests, as well as providing an easy way to personalize with name plates or other elements.

That is just a short list of ideas — the potential is nearly limitless once a provider starts to think about it. Wittenberg notes, however, that when getting started, the best way to begin is to find out “what’s going on, what are you doing?” He goes on to note that “Interactivity is not for the faint of heart — it is very complicated — but wraps are things any PSP can do. And with the right equipment you could even do the curtains in the room that go around the beds, you might be able to create hospital gowns or window blinds. It’s about creating an experience — maybe not an interactive one, but having each room done a different way.”