Modern Hospital Interior Design
A successful healthcare facility interior should answer to the needs of cancer patients and care providers throughout common, treatment, patient services and staff areas, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website.
Because of the heavy traffic in the lobby, noise control, durable and safe flooring materials and easy way finding should be considered.
In waiting rooms, a variety of furniture configurations offer patients with socialization options preferences. Providing a variety of chair options is important, because patients generally lose weight during treatment, and sitting on hard cushions can be painful. However, soft seating can limit their ability to pull themselves up, the article said.
Carpet can be hard for maintenance and wheelchair navigation and should only be used in the sitting area.
A patient-focused approach for selecting materials and finishes
Cancer treatment that once was standardized and focused on treating the disease has become individualized and focused on healing the patient.
With reimbursements increasingly based on quality and service, patient-centered care is likely to grow even more. Patient satisfaction leads to an increase in volume, which results in higher revenues.
The built environment has become a critical part of the healing process and designing facilities that put the needs of the patient first has become the standard.
A successful interior must answer to the needs of cancer patients and their care providers throughout the facility’s common, treatment, patient services and staff areas.
Common areas
A cancer center’s common areas probably touch the widest variety of people and, therefore, must juggle a number of interests. Some key common spaces and their considerations include:
Main lobbies. Lobbies are a reflection of the perceived level of care a center provides. Because of the heavy volume of visitors in the lobby, additional steps for noise control, durable and safe flooring materials and easy wayfinding can contribute to overall satisfaction.
Locating the reception desk close to the entry ensures that patients do not have to walk far. The reception desk often is used to monitor and control the front and back entrances, so interior designers must account for security issues. Likewise, wheelchair storage should be adjacent to the reception desk so that they do not get parked in the lobby and contribute to an overly clinical feeling.
Elaborate artwork has become a staple in cancer center lobbies because of the positive effect it has on a patient’s experience. However, live plants can present a hazard to patients’ immune systems and should not be used.
When planning a donor recognition wall, designers should account for future growth by selecting the appropriate wall space, the practicality of updating it and the cost of adding new names to the existing displays.
Corridors. Long corridors present a challenge to fatigued patients. When travel distances cannot be made shorter, the perception of a shorter corridor through floor patterns, wall finishes and ceiling design can be psychologically positive. Curved walls should be considered because corridors appear shorter if they have no visible end. They also appear more private and not as busy.
Waiting rooms. A variety of furniture configurations provide patients with socialization preferences: Clusters invite interactions while linear layouts prevent feelings of awkwardness related to direct eye contact with other patients.
Chair selection might require customizing the firmness of the seat cushion. During the course of cancer treatment, patients lose a lot of weight, and sitting on hard cushions can be painful. However, soft seating can limit their ability to pull themselves up.
Carpeted flooring is comfortable and inviting, but it can be hard for maintenance and wheelchair navigation. Carpet should only be used in the sitting area, and hard flooring should be used for the passages. Regarding color, people feel more secure on darker-hued floors.
Outlets for charging cell phones and portable devices should be provided at chair height or integrated within the furniture. Family areas or lounges often are designed near waiting rooms, with comfortable soft seating and finishes that include a dining area with a kitchen.
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