Internet of Things-Based Wayfinding for Hospital Visitors: A Digital Solution for Complex Health Care Infrastructures

To design, implement, and evaluate a digital indoor wayfinding web application (KH Wayfinder) for a tertiary care hospital, assessing its effects on spatial orientation and navigation-related stress among visitors.

A 3-phase study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital in coastal Karnataka, India, from April 1, 2023, through July 31, 2024. Phase 1 involved a cross-sectional survey (n=41) to assess user attitudes toward digital wayfinding. In phase 2, a browser-based application was developed using HyperText Markup Language, JavaScript, cascading style sheets, and Leaflet.js, covering 5 hospital floors with 52 destination points and 758 routes. Phase 3 consisted of usability testing with 54 participants using a validated questionnaire to assess performance, satisfaction, and ease of use.

The majority of users 33 (80.5%) expressed willingness to use a digital Wayfinder. Postimplementation results showed that 46 (85.2%) found the tool easy to use, 47 (87%) reported a reduction in navigation time, and 45 (83.3%) experienced reduced psychological stress. Additionally, 51 (94.4%) preferred the digital system over traditional signage, and 54 (100%) would recommend it to others.

KH Wayfinder demonstrated high usability, effectiveness, and user satisfaction as a low-cost digital navigation solution. Its browser-based architecture and open-source design make it scalable and adaptable for broader use in smart hospital environments. Future enhancements may include real-time positioning, multilingual support, and accessibility features.