By Healthcare Facilities Today

The concept of color, light, design, and layout having an actual effect on patient health and well-being is not a new one. It dates back to the ancient Chinese discipline of feng shui, which studies how best to direct energy flow through habitats, according to a blog by Tera Tuten on the Soliant Health website.

"It’s no surprise, then, that a growing number of professionals are becoming interested in the field of healthcare interior design, and just how a space is decorated and arranged can have measurable results on a patient’s comfort and healing process," Tuten wrote

Designing a hospital or other healing environment involves much more than simple aesthetic concerns, however. There are specific issues that need to be addressed when choosing materials, arranging space, and building features, the article said.

Attention to detail has been proven to psychologically boost both patients and healthcare staff, Tuten said. Design materials can assist in maintaining a clean and safe hospital environment. Light and color choices can serve as assistive devices for some patients.

Studies have shown that calming, nature-based design — utilizing wood materials, natural light, and pleasing artwork — can reduce the length of some patients’ hospital stays as well as their need for pain medication.

Read the blog and embed the accompanying info graphic.