Hospital & Healthcare
Signage Design
Sub-services
Branding & Logo Design Wayfinding Signage Master Sign ProgramsAnalysis and Strategy
Digital Integration User Experience Placemaking Public Art & MuralsAll healthcare facilities require signage and wayfinding to help patients feel secure in their visit without a hitch, from arrival to exit. Medical centers are typically intimidating to new visitors, who have enough on their mind already. Hospital signage should direct traffic with clear messaging and a touch of delight which lightens the day for an anxious patient or visitor.
Wayfinding Signage for Hospitals, Healthcare, & Wellness Centers
Exterior healthcare signage includes entrance monument signs, wayfinding systems, and interactive design programs that are legible, reassuring, and joyful. Interior healthcare signage design seamlessly leads the visitor through the medical facility. Hospital wayfinding must define a system of hierarchy within messaging and even reassure the visitors they are still going the right direction. Healthcare facility signage can improve a patient’s experience while saving staff from becoming visitor guides.
Starting with meticulous research, we plan and strategize for the needs of each hospital, medical center, or clinic. Through interviews and workshops, our team steps into the shoes of patients, family, and staff to design an experience fit for everyone. This planning leads to hospital wayfinding signage that is both functional and innovative. Patients and visitors feel a sense of comfort so their minds can stay at ease.
Take a look at our previous projects below, or reach out about how to partner with us on a healthcare facility.
Healthcare & Hospital Signage Projects
Los Angeles, California
UCLA Research Park
San Diego, California
Biovista
San Francisco, California
University of the Pacific
Durham & Raleigh, North Carolina
Research Triangle Park
San Carlos, California
San Carlos Life Science Campus
Irvine, California
City of Hope
Dallas, Texas
Legacy Midtown Park Healthcare Facility
San Francisco, California
South San Francisco Life Science Campus
Houston, Texas
Texas Medical Center
Frisco, Texas
Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy
Topic series
Articles on Healthcare Design
Designing for Dignity: Part 1
In a healthcare environment, that message carries a heavier weight because the people inside are often frightened, uncertain, and at their most vulnerable. Designing for dignity is a fundamental commitment to treating patients and their families as whole people, not as conditions to be managed or problems to be solved.
Healthcare Wayfinding & The Brand Promise
With the pace of change in the healthcare market, a focus on creating environments that promote human connection have driven the need for a more unified brand voice and comprehensive wayfinding strategy.
Spark Delight Through Healthcare Signage Design
Whether for a hospital campus, wellness center, or education campus, RSM Design begins with the end in mind, developing a meticulous and thorough research, strategy and design platform.
Transformative Healthcare Environments
At RSM Design, we are continually exploring the intersection of human behavior and design to ensure that we create emotionally resonant experiences through our work.
The Importance of Hospital and Healthcare Wayfinding Signage
Research shows that our relationship to nature and the built environment have an impact on our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health. This is perhaps most important in healthcare settings, where we go to heal and support our well-being. Not only does this make our hospital and healthcare wayfinding signage critically important, but also all aspects of environmental graphic design, such as public art, murals, landmarks, branding, lighting, and landscaping.
Our approach to designing wayfinding systems is rooted in our belief that clarity, simplicity, and empathy are fundamental to creating spaces that support the well-being of patients, visitors, and staff. Key concepts include…
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- Creating Comfort and Security: Strategically planned wayfinding design presents users with a hierarchy of information that is easy to follow, allowing them to navigate the built environment with confidence. This can help alleviate anxiety during a time that may be stressful, as well as reduce time spent by staff on providing directions.
- Ensuring Safety: By strategically placing safety signs, emergency exits, and hazard warnings, we create an environment where everyone can navigate safely. Clear, intuitive healthcare signage is critical for preventing confusion, stress, and safety issues.
- Enhancing User Experience: By understanding the needs of patients, families, and staff, we can design a comprehensive wayfinding system that supports a positive user experience throughout their entire journey in the built environment. In addition to signage, our wayfinding design includes interactive elements and digital integration to provide real-time information and support, as well as public art and landmarks to enhance both user navigation and the patient experience.
- Combining Beauty and Functionality: At RSM Design, we bring beauty, simplicity, and meaning as well as functionality to design challenges. In healthcare settings especially, this means creating a built environment that not only guides but also inspires. One important strategy we use is incorporating elements of biophilic design, connecting patients and visitors with nature through visual cues and materials. This has been shown to improve mental well-being and create a more calming atmosphere within hospitals and healthcare facilities.
- Establishing Brand Recognition: Cohesive, branded signage reflects a commitment to quality and care while also establishing and reinforcing a brand identity. We incorporate an integrated brand palette through color, logo, and design consistency across signage to produce a visually unified experience. This not only enhances a holistic patient experience, but also builds trust and familiarity with patients and visitors, reinforcing the brand throughout the healthcare journey.
- Educating Patients and Visitors About Services: While visiting a facility, healthcare wayfinding signage can also educate people about the wide range of services offered. Digital signage in particular can communicate information about various services, amenities, and new programs or departments. In addition to promoting hospital offerings, this allows patients to make more informed decisions about their health and how they choose to engage with the facility.
- Supporting Staff Efficiency: With less time spent giving visitors directions, healthcare staff can devote more time and energy to patient care. Our clear, strategically placed signage, combined with thoughtfully designed architectural features, creates an environment where wayfinding is intuitive, reducing reliance on staff and improving navigation. Digital signage also provides real-time updates and reminders for staff about meetings, schedule changes, assignments, and other notices.
Types of Hospital Signage
Entrance Signage
Entrance signage serves the crucial role of indicating the main entry points of a hospital or healthcare facility. It is also the initial point of contact for visitors, creating a welcoming and reassuring first impression. Typically including the facility’s name and logo, this signage can also share essential information such as visiting hours.
Parking Signage
Once visitors identify the facility, parking signage helps them find the designated parking areas. Hospital and healthcare settings have a heightened need for clear parking signage. Often, there are different areas for visitor, staff, and emergency parking. Clear and strategically located parking signs can help manage traffic flow, reduce congestion, and ensure that users find suitable parking quickly and easily—especially in an emergency.
Lobby Signage
Many users enter the hospital lobby in an already emotionally charged state. Effective lobby signage can reassure visitors by immediately helping to orient them and provide important information. It can identify information desks, clarify how to check in for an appointment, and provide maps and directories for further navigation. With a cohesive look and calming feel, this signage can also influence the user’s emotional experience in the built environment.
Directional Signage
Throughout a hospital or healthcare center, directional signage helps to guide users to various destinations, including different departments, wards, and rooms. Healthcare settings tend to have a complex layout, where even staff may become confused when navigating to unfamiliar areas. Clarity and consistency are key for helping users find their way, while also building trust and familiarity in the facility.
Digital Signage
Digital signage, which can be found throughout a facility, includes interactive screens and digital displays. These signs share important information, tips and advice, directions, and updates about hospital services and events. Given its ability to be updated remotely, this hospital signage can provide up-to-date content that streamlines and enhances the user experience.
Elevator and Stairway Signage
Marking the locations of elevators and stairways respectively, this signage also gives directions on how these means of vertical transportation may be used. For elevators, this includes which floors are accessible, where different departments are located, how to use the elevators safely, and what to do in case of emergency. For stairways, this includes emergency exit routes and procedures. Clear, informative signage of this kind can keep users calm and improve traffic flow.
Floor and Department Signage
In large healthcare settings, floor and department signage takes on additional importance. These signs help patients, visitors, and even staff locate their destinations quickly, such as Radiology, Pediatrics, or Oncology. Not only does this signage allow users to reach the right place with minimal stress, but also it provides branded touch points throughout the facility to create a cohesive, comforting environment.
Patient and Exam Room Signage
Visitors and staff alike rely on visible, legible signage for hospital patient rooms and exam rooms. This helps patients find the right rooms for their appointments, as well as assists staff and visitors in easily locating specific patients. The result is a streamlined patient flow that can reduce wait times and frustration. In addition to hospital wayfinding signage outside these rooms, signage within them can influence the user’s emotional experience while telling them what to expect, sharing helpful health tips, and informing them about hospital services.
Inside and outside of your hospital, RSM Design provides healthcare signage, wayfinding, and more to meet your visitors' needs and make the most of their experience.