Understanding what matters, medication, mentation + mobility in design By: Dr. Heena P. Santry The U.S. population is aging rapidly with U.S. census data demonstrating one in six Americans is over age 65. The largest growth in older Americans over the past decade has been among nonagenarians. Despite increasing functional and cognitive frailty, older Americans fiercely seek to maintain their independence and dignity as they continue to live longer. Hospitalization poses the greatest threat to this independence and dignity. While diagnoses like a stroke or heart attack can significantly impact functional status, most diagnoses are, in theory, compatible with a…
Author: Chris Schmidt
By: Rebecca Casey Navigating our way to and through medical facilities, while not the primary focus of a healthcare visit, has an outsize influence on people’s experiences. If the journey falls short and adds stress, confusion or uncertainty, there are real costs to patient and staff well-being, even trickling down to operational costs and patient satisfaction ratings. Wayfinding is the term for how we use surroundings to find our way. In the built environment, and by working in an organization, decisions are made on what information to provide in support of that process. Typical tools include signage; graphics; tactic, audible…
By: Scott Habjan “He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything”- Thomas Carlyle According to the World Bank Group, by 2050, 70% of the world’s population will live in cities.1 With urban health facilities representing a key pillar of urban society, the need to better align their character with their mission is essential. How can these facilities better embody their critical role within our societies and cities? And, importantly, how can more consciously designed urban health centers enhance the health, wellness and outcomes of both individuals and communities while integrating with neighborhoods and enhancing the…
By David Deis, Anshul Puri & Anthony Haas Climate change is causing weather around the globe to get more extreme, and natural disasters often don’t give much warning before they strike. Wildfires, floods, storms, droughts and record heatwaves are increasing in frequency and severity. Other natural events, such as earthquakes and landslides, can destroy multiple buildings in a matter of minutes. Natural phenomena are impacting not just the construction of healthcare facilities, but also their design, code requirements and preparedness needs. The following are tales from the frontlines that share how healthcare architects and designers have evolved in knowledge and…
By Rolando Conesa The key to patient experience lies in recognizing that patients are also consumers. This new generation of patients actively goes online to research available options, evaluating convenience, cost and the value they get for their money. They read reviews, assess staff qualifications and look into patient satisfaction surveys and outcomes. Patients are far more informed about their healthcare choices, and enhancing the patient experience remains critical in the design of healthcare facilities. A significant aspect of enhancing patient experience is acknowledging this consumer mindset and prioritizing convenience and flexibility to suit their personal needs. In healthcare design,…
By Sean Ashcroft With one in four American adults diagnosed with mental disorders every year – and a shrinking number of inpatient beds to support them – owners/developers are investing in new behavioral health facilities and upgrading existing spaces with modern designs to improve patient outcomes. A 2024 survey by the American College of Healthcare Executives found behavioral health and addiction issues are leaders’ third-highest concern, behind only workforce and financial challenges. Among behavioral health worries, the lack of appropriate facilities and programs was the primary problem. Design and construction teams that empathize with these pressures and can put best…
By: Gil May Most of us — architects, contractors and owners, alike — prefer the opportunity to work on a shiny new healthcare building that allows us to design, build and operate free of restrictions imposed by existing conditions. However, the reality is a great deal of healthcare design and construction involves the renovation of existing buildings, spaces and infrastructure. Healthcare systems constantly face the need to adapt, enlarge and upgrade existing facilities to address new and/or expanded programs, support improved patient care models or simply to accommodate the best and latest equipment. Rarely, if ever, are these improvements nicely…
Considerations for providing continuum of care in children’s hospitals By: Beth Carroll The design of women’s services within a children’s hospital, from preventive care to birth, wellness and beyond, must offer a fine balance. The spaces should be separate and distinct from pediatric services, welcoming, innovative and comfortable, while prepared for emergent situations. From dedicated entrances and elevators, attractive and comfortable labor and delivery rooms, flexible ante- and post-partum areas, high-risk responsiveness and C-section suites, hospitals are continuously innovating and elevating their women’s care and childbirth units. The following are considerations that highlight the importance of empathy throughout the planning…
Supporting patients with disabilities In 2023, the Urban Institute published research concluding that four in 10 adults with disabilities experience unfair treatment in healthcare settings, at work or when applying for public benefits. The institute also reported more than 50% of those with disabilities experienced a delay in receiving care because of discrimination. These findings are inextricably linked to poorer health outcomes for disabled Americans.
