Insights & Solutions

The goal for this project was to create a highly realistic participatory learning experiences in an environment that does not involve an actual patient. This method of teaching is rapidly becoming a new standard in both primary and continuing education for health professionals. The intent is to improve learning experiences through improved personal and technical skills and interdisciplinary team communications in an environment designed and built around current evidence-based medicine, evidence-based practice and evidence-based design knowledge.

The goal for this project was to improve efficiency, safety, and satisfaction for both patients and staff with the design of a new bed tower for the hospital, a place where patients get better and where staff wishes to work.

The goal for this project was to: make the commitment to use an evidence-based design process, and the following planning objectives were established: clear patient wayfinding, distinct separation of inpatient/service flow versus public/visitor flow, patient access to clinical services, clear access to primary patient service entrances, staff operational efficiencies, reduction of falls and injuries, and visibility across the patient unit within the support core.

The goal for this project was to create a world-class facility using evidence-based design (EBD), LEED, and patient- and family–centered strategies. The re-design of the Ft. Bliss Army Medical Center not only took into account the Military Health System (MHS) World-Class Checklist, but also information gathered from 14 EBD working groups to further influence the design. 

The goal for this project was to evaluate the impact of single bedrooms in the UK health economy, reduction of infection, improvement in patient recovery time and wellbeing from impact of nature views, natural ventilation, and reduced staff travel time. Pembury is the first Pebble Project in the UK, and the first NHS hospital, with 100% single bed wards. Affordable patient safety was the core guiding principle.

The goal for this project was to have this facility's deisgn include a patient- and family-centered environment, improve the quality and safety of healthcare, enhance care of the whole person by adding contact with nature and positive distractions, and create a positive work environment. The design would also feature maximum standardization and accommodate future flexibility and growth.

The goal for this project was to establish four guiding principles: Design for adaptability to enable flexibility of use over time; Incorporate safety initiatives identified in available research; Create standardization of processes, supplies and design to develop a safer environment and increase the value of the facility; Develop archetypes or prototypes for all components including design elements, patient rooms and overall units.

Patient-centered care is a hot topic today. But do you know how to integrate this concept into your operations and settings? If not, you could be missing out on some key elements that can strengthen your organization, while enhancing your efforts to meet the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Behavioral health settings guided by strict safety design measures often result in spaces that are stark, plain, and isolated - potentially exacerbating environmental stressors and escalating already difficult patient situations. Acute care emergency settings have a particular set of challenges as EDs are predicting increased visits from behavioral health patients. Faced with the challenge of designing a behavioral health care setting in the Emergency Department at UnityPoint Health in Rock Island, IL, the project team hypothesized that the creation of a Crisis Stabilization Unit (CSU) with a “Living Room Concept” would provide a higher quality of care to patients while assisting in the staff’s ability to quickly consult and treat a diverse set of patients entering the ED.