Insights & Solutions

This virtual interactive, collaborative, problem-solving workshop is designed to project stakeholders (designers, facility executives, administrators, and care providers) to explore the key tenants of pre-fabrication and modular construction, how the benefits of “better, cheaper, faster” is balanced with quality and safety, and how design/build processes and budgets can be reframed from traditional healthcare design/build projects.

This one-day virtual workshop provides the latest in design thinking for a variety of behavioral health care and health settings and offers state-of-the-art best practices through thought leader presentations, case studies, and panel discussions. Attendees will have opportunities to pose questions to workshop faculty and interact with fellow attendees in fun and innovative ways.

Kilmartin-Lynch, S., Roychand, R., Saberian, M., Li, J., Zhang, G., & Setunge, S. (2022). A sustainable approach on the utilisation of COVID-19 plastic based isolation gowns in structural concrete  

Pre pandemic, an estimated 2% of plastic-based waste was mismanaged via littering, but recent research shows that COVID-19 triggered an astounding global use of 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves every month, causing a drastic increase of plastic production. How are we supposed to manage this stuff? In this study, shredded isolation gowns were used as an additive to concrete mixes. In various percentages of the volume of concrete. Structural properties were tested for compression, elastic modulus, and flexural strength through a series of experiments. The shredded isolation gowns increased the compressive strength with all mix designs. Flexural strength properties benefitted from the shredded isolation gowns by improving the crack bridging effect under stress. The concrete mixes also showed increases in the elastic modulus compared to the control mix. While more robust testing would be needed, the results suggest some PPE medical waste has the potential to be a secondary reinforcement material in structural concrete.

Kalantari, S., Tripathi, V., Kan, J., Rounds, J. D., Mostafavi, A., Snell, R., & Cruz-Garza, J. G. (2022). Evaluating the impacts of color, graphics, and architectural features on wayfinding in healthcare settings using EEG data and virtual response testing

Ineffective wayfinding can increase anxiety, as well as the operational costs of staff time spent helping patients and visitors find their way. This study tested the use of VR immersion with physiological EEG sensors as a way to evaluate wayfinding design. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three conditions that included variations of a hospital interior. Participants followed a scripted scenario, and the researchers looked at EEG measures, self-reported metrics of mental fatigue, stress, and confusion, and behavioral metrics. While the findings for self-reported and behavioral data were mostly inconclusive, participants in the design with basic signage, enhanced color, and architectural features looked at signs longer and more often. They were also more likely to choose the right direction. The results offer tentative support for adding both manifest cues (what the signs say), as well as environmental affordances (what the structure says).

Masclee, G. M. C., Masclee, A. A. M., Kruimel, J. W., Conchillo, J. M., van Vliet, J., Keszthelyi, D. (2022). Using a patient hotel: Perceptions of the quality of care by patients undergoing analysis for gastrointestinal motility disorders in the Netherlands

Spending the night in the hospital before a procedure, or testing can be stressful. These hospital stays are also costly for patients and for the healthcare organization. Recently, a hospital in the Netherlands began putting gastrointestinal (GI) patients up in a hotel instead of having them stay in the hospital. This appears to be the first study to look at the impact of the outpatient hotel experience on the patient experience. Results show that when generally healthy patients can spend the night in outpatient hotels, their outpatient stay is more comfortable, and the overall perceptions around quality of care may be more positive. Some of you may remember the Motel 6 commercials and Tom Bodet promising to leave the light on for you? Well maybe we need to consider an option for patients where they don’t have to worry about the lights being left on, so they can get a good night’s rest.

Xuan, X., Duan, X., Feng, Z. (2022). The demand for specialization and its influence on the design of inpatient nursing units: Can standardized design be done once and for all?

General medical-surgical units within a single facility have a similar design, but often provide specialized care. Options to create work efficiencies for nurses who may engage in unique tasks depending on the patient populations served, might improve patient care. Researchers developed a survey to collect demographic data and information on caregiving activities which was distributed to nurses on several types of general units. Additionally, ten nurses from different units were interviewed. Survey results demonstrated statistically significant differences in nurse perceptions of walking distance, clinical space, communication privacy, visibility, facilities and storage, acoustics, lighting, and thermal comfort. Interview data indicated that although nurses felt there was enough work similarity to justify a uniform unit layout across general nursing units, there were differences in terms of specialized caregiving activities required for unique patient populations, differences in spatial requirements for caregiving activities, and differences in allocation of space for equipment.

Tseung, V., Verweel, L., Harvey, M., Pauley, T., Walker, J. (2022). Hospital outdoor spaces: User experience and implications for design

While outdoor views and spaces can positively impact patient and hospital staff outcomes, research is needed to understand how outdoor design might contribute to patient therapy in post-acute and rehabilitation care. Researchers used a pre-occupancy evaluation to interview patients, family, and staff involved with rehabilitation activities in the outdoor areas of an existing hospital to inform the design of a new facility. Researchers identified three overarching themes: outdoor spaces and views help patients focus on life beyond their illness, specific design elements should be considered when planning outdoor views and spaces, and deliberate design of outdoor spaces can promote rehabilitation. Design elements identified in this single-site study include: year-round visual access to the outdoors, a variety of plants, water, and wildlife; challenging grades that support therapy but do not create barriers for patients with mobility issues; safety stations and clear signage for trails or paths; and separate spaces for patients/families and staff.