We are launching a unique indoor way-finder app at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital with BuzzStreets, helping patients and their families navigate their way around more easily, reducing staff time spent giving directions, ensuring patients arrive on time for appointments, reducing stress, and minimising traffic in the corridors.

Research has shown that 87% of patients ask for directions when they go to a hospital or other public health facility, and 30% of first-time visitors get lost (Source: Deloitte Digital).

The new app is part of our CW Innovation programme – a joint initiative between CW+ and Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust – to test and scale innovations and digital systems that improve patient care and experience.

After a successful trial, the new system created by BuzzStreets allows visitors to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital to navigate their way from outside all the way to the specific location they need, whether that’s a bed on a ward, a consulting room, the café, or the pharmacy.

“The pilot project has already shown that the app reduces frustration for staff and visitors alike. It helps reduce the anxiety of patients and visitors trying to find their way in the hospital, which previously required contact with multiple different staff. Overall, we’ve seen that the app helps save resources, improve patient outcomes, and enhances the entire hospital experience for patients and their families,” explains Vanessa Sloane, Deputy Chief Nurse at the Trust.

The app includes Points of Interest such as offices, cafeterias and, uniquely, more information about our collection of over 2,000 works of art and digital installations that transform the hospital environment for patients, families, volunteers and staff – a key part of our arts in health programme.

“The BuzzStreets system brings outdoor navigation inside. And as one of London’s biggest and busiest hospitals, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital has been the perfect pilot location. It’s a complex building with over 6,000 visitors every day – all with different needs, at different times, with different end locations. We’ve developed the app to tackle the common problems relating to visitors getting lost and staff spending time giving directions to save the NHS both time and money,” says Joe Fernandez, CEO of BuzzStreets.