It worked at the grocery store, and now it will be coming to a local hospital. Providence Holy Cross Medical Center plans to install a self-service kiosk to allow patients to check themselves in at the hospital’s busy emergency room. The new technology is expected to cut patient wait times, improve the accuracy of patient information, and allow the staff to identify patients with the most urgent needs. The device will operate in both English and Spanish.

The kiosk is just one of several technology improvements made possible by a $500,000 donation from the Verizon Foundation, which will be received by Providence Holy Cross in a ceremony Friday morning. The funds will also help to provide technology to assist uninsured patients and improve operations in the hospital’s four-floor, 142-bed expansion, set to open next year.

In the new Patient Care Wing, the grant will be used to purchase software to verify patients’ lab work and print identification bracelets at bedside, ensuring accuracy. The grant also will fund an outreach program to help uninsured patients find more cost-effective alternatives to the emergency room for primary healthcare needs.