New Universal Health Care Symbols
Transform Wayfinding Signage
Innovative sign system will help more than 50 million Americans better navigate hospital hallways.
Fifty four symbols to be released in August 2010 provide health care leaders and the professional design community with the first
comprehensive and rigorously tested international standard system of wayfinding signs that’s easier to comprehend,
no matter the language or reading level. EPS vector art download is available now at www.UltimateSymbol.com
STONY POINT, NY – June 24, 2010 – Universal Symbols in Health Care(TM) is a new international standard symbol system that marks a turning point in how medical facilities communicate with visitors. Design clip art leader Ultimate Symbol announced today the introduction of this new global standard, the result of an 8-year development program. This is the most extensively researched and tested group of symbols for this subject in existence today.
In the United States, language diversity is increasing within most locales, making it difficult to comply with federal requirements for text signs in patients’ languages. More than 50 million Americans are unable to easily or quickly navigate large,
complex medical institutions housing innumerable units, sections and visitor
destinations using written signs. These challenges led to the development of 54 ground-breaking symbols covering everything from Clinical & Medical Services to Facilities, Administrative Services and Imaging: Universal Symbols in Health Care.
“Use of these symbols will save us money
in terms of sign implementation and updates.”
George Smith, Architectural Project Manager,
Grady Memorial Hospital, GA
With support from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, this collaborative development program was led by Hablamos Juntos (We Speak Together) and the SEGD (Society of Environmental Graphic Design), and involved independent researchers, four design school teams (Cincinnati Univ., California Polytechnic, Iowa State Univ., and Kent State Univ.), and several groups of design professionals. Final symbol designs were completed in April 2010 by international symbols expert and designer Mies Hora, Creative Director and President of Ultimate Symbol. A complete project history and credits is available online.
“Universal Symbols in Health Care: Special Edition provides sorely needed navigation tools for architectural signs in hospitals and clinics offering essential services to visitors with LEP (Limited English Proficiency) as well as those with limited literacy.” stated Mies Hora. The Special Edition download package announced today by Ultimate Symbol has an addendum of 42 symbols including relevant Public Services, Information, Regulations and Warnings. Users can easily browse and download the entire volume or single images directly from Ultimate Symbol.
Availability
Universal Symbols in Health Care: Special Edition will be available for download at $14.95US, in August, 2010 for all 96 images or $9.95 per single image download. CDs will be available (Mac/PC) for $19.95 (shipping included). The volume download and CD both come with an extensive PDF catalog display of the symbols, fully-indexed with Spanish translations, a thorough background history of the project, as well as a PDF poster that charts the symbol system.
Note: The 54 Hablamos Juntos images will also be made available through Craig Berger, Dir. of Education and Business Development, SEGD.
About Ultimate Symbol
Ultimate Symbol is a publisher of digital content for design, graphic arts, publishing, sign making, and corporate
communications professionals. The Ultimate Symbol Collection is a comprehensive, well-organized, utilitarian, and
meticulously drawn suite of royalty-free visual reference materials designed to meet the needs of serious, discerning
designers worldwide. Based near New York City, Ultimate Symbol was founded in 1992 and is privately held.
Media Contact:
Mies Hora
Ultimate Symbol
845.942.0003
pr@ultimatesymbol.com
For more information contact us.
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