Discuss the question of hospital design and, depending on whom you talk to, you will no doubt get a variety of answers. If you were the patient the last time you went to the hospital, the design was probably not top of mind, service was. However, visitors have a very different view of healthcare interior design. It is essential, and it can have a direct impact on decisions about whether or not they will return.
Levels of Patients and Levels of Design
Just as hospitals determine the level of priority of patient through a system of triage, there is kind of a ‘triage’ system of designing for hospital spaces. The longer the person is going to stay in a healthcare environment, the more diverse the level of design should be. In other words, the patient room design and visitor area design in healthcare should have levels. It should be experienced in layers and have more depth to maintain the patient and the visitor’s interest and not make the space boring.
One Hospital Design Does Not Fit All
In the emergency room, in the cardiac and cancer treatment units, in the maternity wing and in surgery, one thing holds true. Fresh and clean design are the top priorities. The aesthetics of design vary following those top priorities. In the treatment units, recliners with attached apparatus to make treatments easy and features like head, foot and armrests add comfort. Thousands of patients visit the emergency annually, so the waiting room has a high level of activity. The hospital furniture here has to be deep cleanable and designed for wellness.
Hospital Design Trends of the Future
Long gone are the days of sitting in uncomfortable chairs and reading out-of-date magazines as you patiently wait to be called back to see the healthcare professional. Waiting rooms have turned into wellness lounges. Right next to the lounge chairs and loveseats, it is common to see an indoor garden or small waterfall. The idea is to create a waiting ‘experience’ that is relaxing and welcoming. It is really catching on as hospitals update and reap the benefits of increased patient satisfaction.