Nowhere is the relationship between environment and impact more of an issue than in the design of healthcare facilities, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website.
Good healthcare designers have always known their work most go beyond “looking good” by also advancing an operational or functional purpose. Form and function are interchangeable.
For instance, research supports the idea that when patient rooms have views of nature, postoperative stays are generally shorter, less pain medication is dispensed, and overall condition improves.
There also is an increasing level of sophistication in the building systems, which have no small role in the patient experience. Anything that can be done to remove stress or disorientation contributes to a more positive and enriched experience.