6 Reasons Hospital Design Matters More Than We Often Consider
When people need medical treatment, the design of the hospital is probably not among their most pressing concerns. They want to feel better as quickly as possible.
However, the design of a healthcare facility matters more than many people think. Here are six reasons why.
1. Good Design Can Make People Feel More Confident
One of the primary goals at a hospital is for patients and their loved ones to feel they are in a place that provides the best possible quality of care. Bright lighting, well-utilized spaces and modern furniture can increase confidence about the facility’s adequacy and the competence of staff members.
The noise level of a hospital could relate to such assuredness too. If an environment is overly loud due to poor soundproofing and inefficient uses of space, patients and their loved ones may become distracted and find it challenging to hear physicians’ recommended intervention options or listen to home care instructions.
2. Thoughtful Hospital Design Increases Patient Safety
Design influences patient safety in a myriad of ways. Single-bed rooms help stop the spread of infection. Research also shows that if a room is designed with flexibility in mind, when care needs to be changed, problems like medication errors and falls become less likely.
That’s because it’s easier to observe patients throughout the healing process. Besides, it may not be necessary to move patients to different departments, such as from intensive care to step-down care, if their rooms are more adaptable. This enhances patients safety and increases the continuity of care since patients don’t get shuffled around to different places.
3. Design Elements Help Visitors Find Where to Go
Visible as easy-to-understand signage is crucial for informing hospital visitors. Many people at hospitals already have a lot on their minds, and signs guide them to the places they need to find to see their loved ones or other individuals.
Some hospitals also use large window displays to differentiate between sections of a hospital, such the emergency department, a birthing suite or the outpatient center. Those signs could assist visitors in deciding where to park or which entrance to use.
4. Design Choices Assist During Emergency Evacuations
Fires and gas leaks are two potential reasons for hospital departments or entire facilities being evacuated.
During those times, hospital staff members must decide which patients to move first and the safest routes to use when getting them out of the building. Wide hallways, anti-slip surfaces and backup lighting can all help workers move throughout buildings during emergencies.
Designers are also building hospitals that are better able to withstand hurricanes, earthquakes and bomb blasts. Some of them also safeguard against progressive collapse, which means that one damaged portion of a hospital won’t cause a domino effect and make other parts fall.
Buildings are elevated for protection against rising flood waters too. Preventative measures may not eliminate the need to evacuate, but they could make the situation less dangerous.
5. Well-Designed Spaces Could Boost Productivity and Staff Morale
In addition to prioritizing patient wellness, hospital managers must also pay attention to employee needs. Hospital design can incorporate that element too, and increase staff productivity and happiness.
For example, ergonomic workspaces could reduce strain, while outdoor dining areas for staff members could help them enjoy their mealtime breaks more, creating a stronger distinction between work and break areas.
Hospitals may also have dedicated areas for outside team members, such as social workers and clergy, who are not directly involved in patient health but still need to be in the hospital environment. Those people can then focus on their duties in areas that are separate from but accessible to where nurses and doctors work.
6. Design Could Influence Patient Healing and Reduce Stress
People are increasingly recognizing that hospital design affects patient healing. Some facilities feature large windows that let in natural light. Others have gardens facing patient rooms, allowing bed-bound people to see nature even when they can’t go outside.
These newly designed hospitals also prioritize using natural materials like wood and stone within interior design, making the surroundings seem warmer and more inviting.
Many hospitals also incorporate beds into rooms that allow new parents to sleep with their premature babies or enable loved ones to stay overnight in the hospital.
Being separated during hospital stays causes stress for patients and the people who care about them. But, new designs cater to the desire for togetherness when possible, decreasing anxiety.
Excellent Design Complements Outstanding Patient Care
Hospitals often focus on investing in state-of-the-art equipment or attracting the most talented employees.
Those things are important, but they should pay attention to facility design. Doing so can have notable advantages too.
Image by Oles kanebckuu
