June 2011

LogicJunction finds its niche with wayfinding avatars at hospitals

Meet Marie. She's welcoming - a little stiff and a bit of a know-it-all, perhaps - but she'll help you navigate the winding pathways of the Cleveland Clinic's sprawling main campus. Marie isn't a real person, but rather an animated Clinic employee displayed on an electronic kiosk. She dons the same red jacket as the health system's human greeters, though, and she's helped hundreds of Clinic visitors reach their destinations by offering step-by-step directions that can be printed or sent to someone's phone. Marie also has provided a much-needed boost to her developer, LogicJunction, a software company in Beachwood that, according to its leaders, was struggling to gain momentum until it delved into the health care field over the last year.

The 10-year-old company, which moved to Northeast Ohio from Atlanta about six years ago, focuses on developing customized avatars, or computer-generated characters. By coupling the avatars with navigation software, LogicJunction officials said, they've found a segment of the market with an illustrated need, according to Mark Jowell, the company's CEO. "We've really focused on way-finding in health care," Mr. Jowell said.

The company previously worked primarily as a custom shop creating an array of avatars for a number of specific uses - an arrangement that requires a hefty amount of resources and manpower. For one, LogicJunction designed an avatar for use at the Western Reserve Historical Society's complex in University Circle to act as a museum curator to educate visitors. Likewise, the company designed a "virtual tour guide" for General Electric's education center in Schenectady, N.Y., to inform visitors about the company's role in developing power systems.


Though he wouldn't provide figures, Mr. Jowell said LogicJunction has experienced revenue growth over the last three years and is "poised to grow significantly over the next year" given its success with the wayfinding software. In addition to the Clinic, Logic-Junction's clients include the Lake Health system in Lake County and Sarasota Memorial Health Care System in Florida. LogicJunction still provides avatars for a number of other non-health care clients as well, including a "virtual insurance agent" for the Cleveland-based Council of Smaller Enterprises. Recent exposure at a few health care industry conferences, including the Clinic's Patient Experience Summit held last month, have sparked interest in the company's products, which Mr. Jowell said is a sign LogicJunction is moving in the right direction. "We've got a lot of confirmation in what we're doing," he said.


All about the patient
In the ever-competitive health care business in Northeast Ohio, care providers always are looking for ways to improve patient experiences, according to Mary Curran, senior director for special projects at the Clinic. The avatars help achieve that goal, as the kiosks also display activities around the Clinic campus, such as yoga classes, concerts or massages - events she said the hospital has had difficulty promoting in the past.

"We try to take the health care experience to a whole other level," Ms. Curran said. "It's not just about sickness and health, but we want to give you something to do while you wait." The Clinic, which has two kiosks and others on the way, isn't looking to replace its army of 38 "red coats," or Clinic employees donning red jackets who help patients and their families navigate its main campus. Rather, Ms. Curran said installing the kiosks is about giving patients "tools at their fingertips."

Last fall, Lake Health installed kiosks in the lobbies at Lake West Medical Center in Willoughby and TriPoint Medical Center in Concord Township as a method to ease anxiety and confusion when patients and their families enter the hospitals.
"From people who are using digital technology, we've had very positive feedback," said Diane Weber, director of radiology at Lake Health. "In some ways, it's clearer than the volunteer or somebody at desk giving directions."

Crain's Cleveland - Timothy Magaw
http://crainscleveland.com/article/20110613/SUB1/306139986&template=printart

« back to news listing