After spending much of the last few weeks with my eye on projects from outside of the United States, I have been trying to place what I've seen into context with the U.S. healthcare situation. In many ways, comparisons are difficult to make–the United States is just one country, after all. However, because the U.S. healthcare system incorporates at least four major models of healthcare delivery used around the world, there are some insights to be applied for sure.
Once in a while I take a look at The Guardian’s column, Constructive Criticism: the week in architecture. It is a weekly roundup of news centered on architecture around the world but mostly in the United Kingdom.
Since 2006, HEALTHCARE DESIGN magazine has presented an annual International Edition, focused on the best and most innovative stories of healthcare design from around the globe, helping to compare, contrast, and provide perspective for U.S. designers in the process — our own small effort to shrink the world of healthcare design a bit and show innovative solutions for sometimes very different situations.
A. Ray Pentecost III, DrPH, FAIA, FACHA, LEED AP
Vice President, Director of Healthcare Architecture, and Design Principal, Clark Nexsen Architecture and Engineering
A global move is underway to raise awareness of how healthcare plays a role in damaging the environment. Whether it’s through joining together as a recognized association that can share ideas on how to lessen the impact or going it alone, the issue is slowly being acknowledged.
It's low tide at 10 p.m. on the nursing unit, the lights are softened, and noise and staffing are at a minimum. The quiet environment and lack of stimulation is exactly what the patients need to rest and promote healing. But the non-stimulating environment is the opposite of what nurses and caregivers who work at night need to be alert and safe.
Building owners appreciate the benefits of integrated project delivery (IPD) and building information modeling (BIM), which have proven to help reduce construction costs and accelerate schedules.
Imagine entering a healthcare facility quite unlike anything you have ever seen before. From the exterior you can already tell that something is different. It seems…smaller.
On May 23, at IIDA Headquarters in Chicago, the 2012 HEALTHCARE DESIGN Architectural and Interior Design Showcase judging took place, wherein an invited jury reviewed all the submitted projects for this year's Showcase and decided who was in, who was out, and who would win a Citiation of Merit.
We are in the midst of preparing for our June issue of HEALTHCARE DESIGN which will focus on international healthcare design projects. There is no denying the amount of work that is taking place around the globe in the healthcare design field. Both developing and developed countries are learning from each other and using best practices to design healthcare facilities that best serve their communities and suit their environments.
Before the bottom fell out of the financial world in 2008-2009, the hospitality influence loomed large in the healthcare design industry, with a boom in spacious, multistory lobbies that would put many luxury hotel lobbies to shame, replete with winding stairs, large art installations, and the like.
Debra Levin, EDAC
President and CEO, The Center for Health Design
