Want to know in real time exactly how your patients are feeling about that packed waiting room and blown-out appointment times? 

Regardless, a US study has found terminals featuring smiling or frowning emojis is an effective way to gauge real-time patient and medical staff feedback.

Penn University researchers placed terminals around a busy hospital ED and invited patients, doctors and nurses to push a button to reflect their feelings. 

“We wanted to see if people would even notice these buttons, which they did — and they pushed them a lot,” said co-author Dr Anish Agarwal, an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Penn Medicine.