Time spent waiting is wasted time. This feeling is especially prominent for people waiting in hospitals, whether in an on-site doctor's office, the emergency room, or even in the hospital itself. The combination of the seriousness of the visit and the lack of entertainment work together to make it so that people want only one thing: out. Fortunately, there is something healthcare facilities can do to alleviate the sensation of waiting, while providing important information for patients and those waiting along with them: They can provide videos with relevant health information.
Some hospitals have been using video for years, but many have waited until recently to unleash the power of an in-house educational channel. This is likely because in the past it took a substantial budget to produce these shows. Now, technology has improved to the point that the cost of entry is much lower than it was 10 or 20 years ago. Hospitals should take another look at the idea.
Good patient-centric videos explain healthcare programs that are relevant to the audience. Those who are sitting in general waiting rooms, for example people who are waiting for their friends and relatives at the ER, can be shown a variety of helpful videos related to common health conditions. People who are waiting at a doctor's office, on the other hand, can be shown informational pieces tailored to a specialization. A cardiologist, for instance, would want to show information about heart issues and how to maintain a healthy heart or how to keep them from getting worse.
Hospitals should target videos to provide information on the treatment of various diseases rather than general prevention. That's because when someone is in a hospital, they already have a health condition. Letting them know about the latest ways to improve that condition will be much more helpful than telling them how they could have prevented it. Of course, general health videos are also helpful since they can help prevent different conditions from occurring.
