Insights & Solutions

In 2012, The Center for Health Design received a grant from the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) to develop a standard evidence-based tool for inpatient room design. In a three-phase process, this grant will result in design and evaluation tools for inpatient room design in Medical/Surgical Units, Adult Intensive Care Units (ICU) and Labor Delivery Recovery (LDR) and Maternity Units. The first phase of this project has been completed, resulting in a Beta-test, paper-based version of the Inpatient Room Design Checklist and POE tool for the Med/Surg Room which are shared in this presentation.

Patient falls are the most common adverse event reported in acute care settings, affecting from between 2% to 10% of annual hospital admissions. Patient falls cause increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and have significant cost impacts. One recent study examined the relationship of design factors in patient rooms to falls in 30 units in 15 hospitals. Results indicate key factors associated with higher numbers of falls, including multi-person rooms, shared toilet rooms, number and location of grab bars, and others. Explore the intrinsic and extrinsic factors on fall risk and the role design plays in mitigating these factors through real design solutions. 

This webinar discusses how different modeling and simulation approaches best serve different goals. Learn how statistical methods allow models to be run over time and predict future needs for people, space and equipment. Virtual reality and full scale mockup methods allow a wider range of stakeholders to meaningfully participate throughout a design process, including during early design. Modeling and simulation can also support and amplify the impact of an EBD-based design program. 

In 2011, The Center for Health Design published a glossary of healthcare environment terms and outcome measures commonly used in evidence-based design research for seven key healthcare topics, many of which are tied to CMS reimbursement formulas: health-care associated infections, medical errors, patient falls, patient satisfaction, patient waiting, staff efficiency and staff satisfaction. Learn about the methods used to create the EBD glossary, the work underway to expand the Glossary using the CHD Knowledge Repository, and how you might use this tool in your construction project, during your design education and with EBD research studies.

The era of accountable care has focused more attention on doing things right. Hospitals are no longer reimbursed for what are categorized as "never events," serious adverse events that are largely preventable. The Center for Health Design, with support from the Facility Guidelines Institute and a grant from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), has been working toward a consensus-based tool to proactively assess safety and risk in the built environment during the design process. New language will be incorporated into the 2014 Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Healthcare Facilities.

Want a glimpse into a scary and exciting future? An experienced architect and healthcare leader team up to provide their view of what is coming and how to prepare for it. In an era of rapid, disruptive, transparent change, they show you why you must move beyond today’s best practice to tomorrow’s next practice. They suggest 10 rules that will help you get there.

For over 30 years, ambulatory care environments have been a major force in patient care delivery.  Today’s drivers of new technology, less invasive procedures, the Affordable Care Act, and consumer demands, are transforming these environments right out of the box. We are seeing new delivery model of specialized clinics in strip malls and even wellness campus providing a full spectrum of outpatient care and the Veteran Affairs developing the Medical Home and Telemedicine. And it is all happening with lightning speed. Outpatient surgeries have increased by two thirds since 2006. Nearly 75% of elective surgeries are performed as outpatient procedures, and it is not stopping there.

With an unprecedented growth in clinic construction, clinic leaders across the nation increasingly recognize the potential benefits of an evidence-based clinic design approach in improving patient, staff, and organizational outcomes. However, knowledge gaps widely exist and knowledge sharing is impeded by the lack of a central information repository. The webinar will focus on the development and testing of a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) tool as well as a database for community health centers to enable building evaluation and sharing of findings. 

Some estimates project Community Health Centers will need to invest between $10.5 - $13.1 billion in facility construction, renovation and expansions between now and 2015 to keep up with patient demand – what better time to think about how the design of those facilities can improve the patient experience and healthcare outcomes. In this panel discussion, four experts share unique perspectives, strategies and recommendations for healthcare providers considering renovation/remodel or new facility construction.