September 29, 2009

Digital Signage and Hospital Wait Times

Novel use of digital signage is electronic billboard in Florida which updates every 30 minutes the average wait time in the Emergency Room. Picture.

Get ER wait times in advance
Receive local emergency room wait times via text, Internet and on a billboard

Largo Medical Center, St. Petersburg General Hospital and Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart Institute’s Emergency Room wait times are now live and up on a billboard.

Article with picture

Largo Medical Center, St. Petersburg General Hospital and Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart Institute’s Emergency Room wait times are now live and up on a billboard.

This new billboard is located near the intersection of Starkey and Ulmerton Roads in Largo featuring the wait times of all three hospitals. This is Pinellas County’s first electronic Live ER wait time billboard.

This ER wait time billboard will be updated electronically approximately every 30 minutes, using an average from the previous four hours.

Largo Medical Center, St. Petersburg General Hospital and Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart Institute’s ERs consistently rank below the national wait time average of one hour.

In March 2009, the three hospitals kicked off a very successful ER wait time initiative by posting the information on their Web sites at www.largomedical.com, www.stpetegeneral.com and at www.northsidehospital.com.

At the same time a text messaging campaign was launched. A person can also receive these wait times via text. Just text ER to 23000 and you will be prompted to enter your zip code. You will immediately receive the wait times of the three closest HCA hospital ERs.

In addition to superior ER wait times, these hospitals house accredited Chest Pain and Stroke Centers.

Largo Medical Center, St. Petersburg General Hospital and Northside Hospital and Tampa Bay Heart Institute are affiliates of HCA West Florida.

Article published on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009

Posted by staff at September 29, 2009 07:03 AM