RESEARCH

PROPOSAL
OPTIMIZING HOSPITAL EFFICIENCY AND
NAVIGATION: A CUTTING-EDGE GIS-BASED
INFORMATION SYSTEM FOR COMPREHENSIVE
USER GUIDANCE

Biomedical Department | Group 4

1. Abenezer Yeniesew………...UGR/ 4821/13
2. Abrham Demeke…………...UGR/ 4842/13
3. Ayda Muhaba………………UGR/ 0357/13
4. Eual Girma.………………...UGR/ 3081/13
5. Fikremarkos Denekew……. UGR/ 0652 /13
6. Gebremikial Gebrie………. UGR/2830/13
AAIT
1
OUTLINE
I Introduction V Product Design

II Problem Statement VII Methodology

III Research Scope VII Expect Outcomes

IV Literature Review VIII Ethical Considerations

and Limitations

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 INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
Hospitals are vast and intricate institutions, comprising numerous departments, wards,
and facilities, making navigation within them a challenging endeavor.
With multiple divisions, floors, and interconnected areas, hospitals can be intricate
labyrinths, causing confusion and delays for patients, visitors, and even healthcare
professionals.
Traditional methods of hospital navigation, such as signage and maps, often prove
insufficient in assisting individuals to navigate the complex layouts and find their
desired destinations efficiently.
Recognizing the need for improved navigation experiences, this research addresses the
challenges faced in hospitals' extensive and divided environments
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Biomedical Department | Group 4
 INTRODUCTION
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM
(GIS)
Geographic Information System (GIS) is a technology that uses spatial data,
mapping, and analysis to visualize and understand information about geographic
locations.
GIS collects various types of spatial data, including maps, satellite imagery, aerial
photographs, and GPS coordinates. These data sources are gathered and stored in a
digital format for further analysis.
GIS organizes and manages spatial data through a geospatial database. This
database structure allows for efficient storage, retrieval, and manipulation of
geographic information.
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Biomedical Department | Group 4
 INTRODUCTION
OVERVIEW
The goal of this research is to test and evaluate the efficiency of a GIS-based system compared
to traditional means of navigation, such as dashboards and marks, in improving patient
guidance and availability within the hospital environment.
The research will focus on implementing and refining the user-friendly, accurate, and
effective GIS-based system to provide advanced knowledge about healthcare
professionals' availability and location.
Benchmarking and contrasting the performance of the GIS-based system with traditional
dashboard systems will be a key aspect of the research, assessing its superiority in terms of
patient experience, time efficiency, and overall effectiveness.
Real-world application testing will be conducted to evaluate the system's feasibility and
performance in a hospital setting, considering factors such as reliability, scalability, and
integration with existing hospital infrastructure. 5
Biomedical Department | Group 4
PROBLEM STATMENT
This project was inspired by the challenges our team faced while navigating
within Minilik Hospital. The complex layout and inadequate wayfinding
systems made it difficult to find specific locations efficiently.

In many hospitals, the current navigation methods primarily rely on traditional

signage, which often fails to provide clear and concise guidance, resulting in
confusion, frustration, and delays for patients, visitors, and even hospital staff.

The hospital is missing an easy-to-use guidance system that affects both

healthcare professionals and patients. This makes it challenging for different
departments to coordinate and communicate effectively, resulting in
difficulties in delivering the best healthcare services.

Even if users successfully navigate to their desired destination within the

hospital, they often encounter challenges such as the absence of the person in
charge, unavailability of the facility at the scheduled time, or the facility being
relocated elsewhere. These issues further frustrate users and hinder their
ability to access the necessary services efficiently 6
 PROBLEM STATMENT
RESEARCH QUESTIONS

How can a GIS-based guidance and availability system improve patient quality of life
by providing healthcare professionals' availability and easier navigation?
Benchmarking the performance of the GIS system against traditional signage
systems to evaluate accuracy, efficiency, and effectiveness in guiding patients.
Comparing user-friendliness, ease of understanding, and patient satisfaction
between the GIS system and traditional signage systems.
Evaluating the scalability of the GIS system in handling increased patient loads and
adapting to evolving hospital demands, compared to traditional signage systems.

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Biomedical Department | Group 4
PROBLEM STATMENT
OBJECTIVES
General Objective

Assess the effectiveness of a GIS-based system in improving navigation and

enhancing the availability of healthcare professionals within the hospital
environment.

Specific Objective

To design and implement a user-friendly interface for the GIS-based guidance and
attendance system that allows users to easily search for desired locations within the
hospital.
Integrate real-time personnel availability and opening hours into the GIS system,
providing users with information on the presence or absence of desired personnel
and the operational status of locations. 8
RESEARCH SCOPE
RESEARCH SCOPE

Fragmented Multiple Story Open/Closed Status and

Buildings Buildings Personnel Availability
Develop a system to Create a system Implement
specifically designed
effectively navigate functionality to notify
for multiple story
within fragmented users about the
buildings, focusing on
buildings, similar to opening hours of the
providing the floor and
the functionality of place and person they
room number of the
Google Maps. are searching for
desired place.

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 LITERATURE REVIEW
LITERATURE REVIEW
Existing literature primarily focuses on traditional hospital wayfinding systems, such as
signage and maps, which often lack accuracy, complexity, and personalized assistance.
They have limited capabilities in providing real-time guidance to users.
Recent studies have highlighted the emergence of GIS-based guidance and attendance
systems in healthcare facilities.
These systems utilize GIS technology to improve navigation within hospitals, offering
advanced features like indoor positioning, optimized routes, and real-time location
tracking.
There is a notable gap in the literature regarding the comprehensive implementation and
evaluation of GIS-based guidance and attendance systems in both fragmented and
monolithic multiple story hospitals.
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Biomedical Department | Group 4
 METHODOLOGY
USER TESTING AND EVALUATION
Target user groups for this study include patients, visitors, hospital staff, and
administrators who navigate within the hospital and can benefit from an
improved wayfinding system.
A diverse sample will be recruited, considering demographics and
technology familiarity. Participants will be selected through
multiple channels, screened for eligibility criteria such as
willingness, availability, and navigation ability
Participants will be divided into control groups, with one using
conventional wayfinding systems and the other utilizing our
prototype GIS-based system.
During user testing, we will collect qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative
data will be gathered through observations, think-aloud protocols, and post-
navigation interviews, while quantitative data will include measurements such as
time, distance, errors, and user satisfaction ratings.
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METHODOLOGY
SYSTEM PERFORMANCE AND BENCHMARK
The prototype system will undergo performance testing on various
platforms and devices (desktop, mobile, tablet) to assess compatibility
and performance. Metrics such as response time, loading speed, and
user experience will be measured and compared.

The backend system, including server load and routing algorithms,

will be assessed by monitoring performance under different user
loads and traffic conditions

The backend system, including server load and routing algorithms,

will be assessed by monitoring performance under different user
loads and traffic conditions

Key metrics like server response time, data processing speed, and
system stability will be analyzed to ensure efficient handling of user
requests and optimal navigation path routing.
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METHODOLOGY
DATA ANALYSIS Response
Time 1
50

20% 20% 40

Quantitative data, such as user travel time and system 30

response time, will be statistically analyzed.

20

Descriptive statistics (mean, median, standard Fidelity

20%
Distance 2
20%
10

deviation) will reveal average performance and 0

Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4 Item 5
Speed
variability of the system. 20%

Qualitative data, such as user satisfaction and 100

feedback, will be analyzed using thematic analysis.

80

Interviews, observations, and survey responses will be coded and

60
categorized into themes to identify recurring topics, perceptions,
40
and insights on the prototype system's effectiveness and
usability.e analyzed using thematic analysis. 20

The analysis of the collected data will help identify specific areas for 0
Nav 1 Nav 2 Nav 3 Nav 4 Nav 5
improvement in enhancing the system and user interface. 13
 PRODUCT DESIGN
CONCEPT GENERATION AND SELECTION
Our team initially considered implementing a complex
augmented reality (AR) feature within the hospital
informatics app

Implementing beacon technology, which uses

Bluetooth to provide location-based information, was
evaluated. However, due to limitations in accuracy,
deployment complexity, it was discarded

After several brainstorming sessions, we arrived at a concept for

our hospital informatics app. The chosen concept revolves
around providing a seamless and intuitive navigation experience
relying on real-time geolocational data and mobile user interface.

Disclaimer: The locations depicted in the images shown in this app prototype are for
illustrative purposes only. They do not represent real-world locations, and any resemblance to
actual places is purely coincidental. 14
 SYSTEM OVERVIEW

ACQUIRE GIS CURATE AND STORE CURATED DEPLOY BACKEND PROVIDE PREMADE USER ACCESS THE
DATA LABEL DATA SERVER QR CODE UI

Acquire GIS data from Curate and label Store curated data in a GIS Set up server to accept Provide premade QR codefor Finally Users freely access
sources like the GIS data with database PostgreSQL using incoming users/clients todownload the app
Google Maps and open- correct names and tags PostGIS user/client connections the app oraccess it through a and navigate within
source datasets browser the hospital premises

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 CareGuide Overview
Our hospital informatics mobile Interface is
designed to be user-friendly and to enhance the
navigation and information accessibility within
hospital premises. With a sleek and intuitive user
interface.
our app provides a seamless experience for
patients, visitors, and hospital staff.

For Android For IOS

Figure: System UI on Various Devices and Platforms

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EXPECT
OUTCOMES
I Improved Navigation
Experience

II Enhanced Efficiency

III Easing Patient Challenges,

IV Optimal Resource Utilization:

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ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS
Privacy Protection: Ensuring the privacy and confidentiality of patient data and
I
personal information collected and stored within the GIS-based system.

Informed Consent: Obtaining informed consent from participants, clearly

II
explaining the purpose, methods, and potential risks of the project.

Data Security: Implementing robust security measures to protect the GIS system
III
and the sensitive data it contains from unauthorized access or breaches.

IV
Equity and Fairness: Ensuring equitable access and fair treatment of all individuals
using the system, regardless of their demographic characteristics or medical
conditions.

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LIMITATIONS
Limited Generalizability
The findings of this research
may be specific to the
particular hospital
environment and may not be
directly applicable to other
healthcare settings.
User Acceptance and Adoption
The success of the GIS-based system
relies on the willingness of
healthcare professionals and
patients to adopt and use the
technology, which may present
barriers related to familiarity,
resistance to change, or
technological literacy.
Potential Technical Challenges
The implementation and
maintenance of a GIS-based
system may require technical
expertise and resources, posing
potential challenges in terms
of infrastructure, training, and
system compatibility.
Implementation Challenges:
Translating the research
findings into practical
implementation within a
hospital setting may encounter
organizational, financial, and
logistical obstacles that could
affect the system's effectiveness
and sustainability.
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Any
Questions ?
Thank You !

Biomedical Department | Group 4