Crowd Management in Hospitals: All You Need to Know

Many hospitals across the US operate at over 90 percent capacity. That means the need for reliable crowd management in hospitals—both in terms of equipment and procedure—can be crucial. But best practice for personnel and patient management isn’t limited to influxes. Benefits include boosting safety, productivity, and the overall visitor experience. Common applications include:

• Creating orderly queues
• Emergency vehicle parking
• Cordoning off cleaning or repair operations
• Keeping folks out of construction/remodeling zones
• Barricades for patient overflow
• Tents and signage for special events
• Patient and Provider Online Portal

The list goes on. And as in true within any industry, each hospital has different needs specific to their capacity, space, and overall goals. Here’s a guide on crowd management in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

Stanchions for Hospital Waiting Room

Creating an orderly line will sometimes seem unnecessary – and other times feel downright essential. That’s what makes stanchions so fantastic. This is the easiest, most versatile form of crowd control, especially when utilizing retractable belts. Simply unlatch and retract when not in use (or to make a queuing area shorter). When you need to create a new or longer queuing path, simply extend the belt and slide it into the desired stanchion notch.

There’s a reason you see retractable belt stanchions used in a range of applications, from pharmacies to events and beyond. The intuitive, familiar design means staff training is minimal, and the compact, lightweight build makes transport and storage a breeze.

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Traffic Cones and Channelizer Drums for Emergency Vehicles

Your garage could be damaged and you need to redirect emergency vehicle traffic. You may need to reserve an area for specific patient needs. Whenever you need to route traffic or keep certain vehicles away, you can grab your stackable, storable, extremely transportable traffic cones and channelizer drums, both of which are available in high-visibility colors.

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Retractable Belt Barriers with Safety Messaging

There are retractable belt stanchions for line queueing, and then there’s the safety messaging barriers. A personal favorite is the wall-mounted option, perfect for hallways. All you have to do is extend the belt across the path, and you near-instantly have a bright-yellow safety marker with whatever message is appropriate. “Cleaning in Progress,” “Danger: Do Not Enter,” and, “Caution: Do Not Cross,” are popular options.

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Temporary Fencing for Construction Projects

Whether fixing a cracked marble floor or adding a wing to the hospital, hazardous areas are bound to present themselves. That’s where temporary fencing comes into play, increasing privacy, safety, and security simultaneously. Additional products, such as fence screens, go a long way in boosting the effectiveness of temp fencing as well.

Like any other major business, hospitals can find themselves in a position to expand or renovate. And while the construction company will likely source their own perimeter security measures, it’s a good idea to know what’s out there to ensure your site is staying safe and secure. Otherwise, delays and security breaches that affect your bottom line can occur. 

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Barricades for Patient Overflow

Large-scale emergencies, like natural disasters or disease outbreaks, can trigger a huge number of patients that go beyond the capacity of your hospital. This can mean lines need to be formed outside of the premises, and quickly. That’s where bike rack barricades and transport carts can be a major game-changer, and you don’t want to have to buy them when you need them at that moment. As we learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, shortages occur swiftly.

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Tents and Signage for Special Events

A hospital can host a wide range of events, and they can be held in the parking lot, lobby, open outdoor areas, and beyond. These include wellness events, fundraisers, and free testing. In fact, the internet is full of countless articles with ideas to engage your community, raise money and awareness, and so on.

At SONCO, our in-house design team and printing department can concept custom signage from scratch or use existing files, whichever you prefer. This extends to both the tents and things like flags, banners, and more, a creative and unmissable way to promote an upcoming event, new services, and the like.

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One of the most exciting developments in hospital crowd management is the online patient portal. While an intuitive, clear platform is important, a robust platform can mean online appointments, cancelations/rescheduling, and even doctor or nurse communications. This reduces call volume, giving nursing staff more time to serve in-person patients.

The same is true for the option to perform necessary tasks online rather than in-person. This includes billing and scheduling the next visit, which is sometimes difficult to do right then and there, especially if the patient would rather do it later on.

Also, something like an “Ask a Doctor” button can mean answering basic questions and advice without the need for an appointment. You can also refill prescriptions, direct patients to over-the-counter medications, and beyond.

Beyond patient management, a “Provider Portal” can help nurses and physicians in a wide variety of ways, like staff services and support, scheduling, residency programs, and more. Everyone on one platform streamlines communication and organization, especially when it’s accessible both on desktop and mobile.

Partner with an Expert

The best advice we can give anyone looking into crowd management in hospitals or any industry: Get in touch with folks with proven experience. At SONCO, our team of friendly experts offers complimentary advice on crowd management best practice specific to your venue. There’s no obligation to order our products, just solid insight from passionate professionals. Reach out today!