When Children's Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University redesigned its behavioral health center, officials knew it was crucial to incorporate the patient voice throughout the design, according to an article on the Fierce Healthcare website.
Patients and families were brought in to help from the earliest planning stages to final details.
"One of the things that we wanted to convey to them that this was a welcoming space where they could feel comfortable expressing their feelings and engaging in the healing process," said Alexandria Lewis, director of the Virginia Treatment Center for Children (VTCC).
The final design included soothing tones like green, blue and yellow and a large mural that is just inside the entrance of the facility. The choice of artwork depicting butterflies symbolizes the journey of the patients and was designed with input from the patient and family advisory council.
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