June 5, 2025
“When I took my 81-year-old father to the doctor, and my mother-in-law to the hospital after Hurricane Helene, I was reminded how critical it is to understand the patient journey, and just how much pressure hospital staff are under to make that journey as positive and seamless as possible,” says Michael Dermont, healthcare solutions leader at Diversified.
Michael uniquely understands the pressures healthcare providers face, not only from personal experience, but also because he sits at the intersection of technology, operations, and patient care. His role gives him a front-row seat to the challenges hospitals navigate daily as they strive to deliver compassionate, efficient, and connected experiences for every patient who walks through their doors.
Healthcare facilities are constantly balancing the delivery of top-tier care with the need to maintain a strong Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating. That’s a lot to juggle, especially when the patient journey involves much more than the clinical care doctors and nurses provide. It begins the moment a patient schedules an appointment and extends through every interaction with the facility: parking, wayfinding, check-in, waiting areas, and follow-up care.
Every step influences how a patient perceives their experience, and, ultimately, how they rate it.
This is where thoughtful AV solutions, including digital signage and interactive wayfinding, make a measurable impact. When deployed effectively, these technologies reduce stress, improve communication, and support a more personalized and accessible experience, all of which contribute to higher Overall Star Ratings.
What is an Overall Hospital Star Rating?
An Overall Hospital Quality Star Rating summarizes a variety of measures across 5 five areas of quality into a single star rating for each hospital. Published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), these ratings help patients make informed decisions about where to receive care and encourage hospitals to improve performance in key areas.
Improving Patient Experience with Digital Signage and Wayfinding Solutions
Derived from the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey, this category reflects how patients perceive their hospital stay, from communication with caregivers to the environment and discharge process. These subjective experiences have a measurable impact on a hospital’s overall rating and reimbursement potential.
Let’s take a look at the 10 HCAHPS evaluation measures and how AV solutions like digital signage and wayfinding can help improve patient experience ratings.
- Patients who reported that their nurses communicated well
- Digital displays can reinforce care team roles, provide real-time staff introductions, and display updates to reduce confusion.
- Patients who reported that their doctors communicated well
- Digital signage solutions can support video messages, real-time Q&A sessions, or translate critical information for better comprehension.
- Patients who reported that they received help as soon as they wanted
- Digital request kiosks, smart call systems, and real-time status boards can reduce response times and set clear expectations.
- Patients who reported that the staff explained medications before giving them
- Interactive content and medication education screens can supplement in-person conversations and support understanding.
- Patients who reported that their room and bathroom were clean
- Digital signage can display cleaning schedules or allow patients to request additional cleaning, promoting peace of mind.
- Patients who reported that the area around their room was quiet at night
- AV-controlled ambient soundscapes or noise-level reminders can help maintain a calm, healing environment.
- Patients who reported that they were given information about what to do during recovery at home
- Discharge instructions displayed visually and interactively, via in-room screens or mobile integrations, support better retention.
- Patients who understood their care when they left the hospital
- Digital summaries, visual care timelines, and checklists help patients feel more confident in their aftercare plan.
- Patients who gave their hospital a rating on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest)
- A streamlined, reassuring patient journey, is enhanced by clear digital signage and intuitive wayfinding solutions such as interactive kiosks, mobile wayfinding, and real-time directional displays. These solutions help family and visitors get where they need to go easily while reducing the workload of busy hospital staff.
- Patients who would recommend the hospital to their friends and family.
- When patients feel informed, respected, and confident in their care, they’re more likely to share positive word-of-mouth.
“When I think about healthcare, we need to focus on the patient experience. How does technology impact the patient in the room? What was it like for the family to get information?” Michael of Diversified adds.
Improving patient experience involves more than just bedside manner, it requires consistent, thoughtful engagement throughout the care journey. Tools like digital signage, interactive wayfinding, interactive patient engagement systems, and real-time communication displays can reduce confusion, alleviate stress, and empower patients with the information they need, when they need it most.
Diversified and 22Miles: Partnering to Deliver Tailored AV Solutions That Boost Patient Experience and Hospital Star Ratings
To meet the complex needs of healthcare providers striving to improve patient experience and elevate their Overall Hospital Quality Star Ratings, Diversified has partnered with 22Miles, the leader in advanced digital signage and interactive wayfinding solutions. This collaboration combines Diversified’s deep expertise in AV systems integration with 22Miles’ innovative software platform to deliver highly customized solutions designed specifically for healthcare environments.
Key examples of how Diversified and 22Miles solutions improve patient experience include:
Interactive Wayfinding Kiosks and Mobile Navigation
Simplifying the patient journey from parking lots through complex hospital layouts, these solutions reduce patient and visitor anxiety by providing real-time, step-by-step directions accessible on both large touchscreens and mobile devices, improving perceptions of timely and effective care.
Importantly, these wayfinding systems are designed with full ADA compliance in mind, incorporating accessibility features such as screen reader compatibility, tactile buttons, and voice guidance to support patients with diverse abilities.
Dynamic Digital Signage for Staff Communication
Displays that introduce care teams, share important messages, and provide appointment reminders foster transparency and help patients feel more connected to their caregivers, directly impacting HCAHPS measures related to nurse and doctor communication.
These solutions also help reduce staff burnout by streamlining communication and minimizing repetitive inquiries, allowing staff to focus more on patient care.
Patient Education and Medication Information Displays
Interactive screens in patient rooms offer tailored content about medications, care instructions, and discharge procedures, empowering patients to better understand their treatment and aftercare, which supports improved recovery and reduces readmission rates.
These displays are also accessible, offering features such as adjustable text size, high-contrast modes, and multilingual support to meet ADA standards and ensure all patients receive clear and comprehensible information.
By leveraging the combined strengths of Diversified’s integration expertise and 22Miles’ robust platform, hospitals gain an end-to-end AV ecosystem tailored to their unique workflows and patient needs. This collaboration helps healthcare providers not only meet but exceed CMS quality benchmarks, leading to higher STAR ratings, improved reimbursements, and most importantly, a better experience for patients and their families.
As Michael, emphasizes, “Technology isn’t just about gadgets — it’s about truly understanding and supporting the patient journey. Our partnership with 22Miles helps us deliver AV solutions that reduce stress and empower patients, which directly translates to higher satisfaction and better star ratings.”
Interested in improving your hospital star rating with digital signage solutions? Book a demo today.
