Today, we can find many inpatient room mock-ups that sparkle like a sports car rolling off a dealer's lot. Undoubtedly, these mock-ups communicate a project milestone that translates into a fantastic marketing opportunity: The end users, owners, and designers have...
I recently had the pleasure of moderating a Vendome HEALTHCARE DESIGN Webinar entitled How the ICONS Have Fared: Mega-Hospitals with Major Dreams. The presentation by Donald McKahan, AIA, FACHA; D. Kirk Hamilton, FAIA, FACHA; and Francis Murdock Pitts, AIA, FACHA,...
It is no overstatement to say that digital animation has transformed the movie-going experience. The recently released Avatar is breaking new ground in this direction, but scarcely a year goes by without at least three or four blockbusters showing, aimed primarily at...
Self-returning swivel seats Clarin's new Self-Returning Swivel Seat is a swing arm seating system, fully customizable to meet seating needs. When not in use the seat swivels back to the return position. The self-returning swivel seats are suitable for nurse alcove...
The first healthcare facilities The original facilities for the sick were most likely temples dedicated to “healing gods.” Imhotep was the Egyptian healing god, while Asclepius was revered in the Greek civilization. Prayers, sacrifices, and dream interpretations...
Whether in a new-build or retrofit facility, best practice implementation for a healthcare imaging suite involves more than incorporating the latest designs in aesthetics and patient comfort. To ensure maximum utilization and optimal performance of the radiology unit,...
In 2008, two industry leaders presented a state-of-the-art modular magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility concept to the marketplace (featured in the April 2008 issue of Healthcare Design). Today that vision is being realized with the installation of several...
When people refer to their “healthcare experience,” they typically (and correctly) note their experiences in the examination, treatment, and recovery rooms as well as interactions with the caregivers and support staff. However, it is common knowledge that a sizable...
Water infiltration in a hospital is just bad news all around—unsanitary, mold-producing, patient-disrupting, and staff-annoying. However, today I am writing in defense of roofs, almost always blamed for any leak but not always the culprit! In both the design phase reviews and the actual construction, we need to keep our eye on foundation details, exterior wall details, window assemblies, door assemblies, and building joints in addition to the roofing. All of these can and do play a role in preventing water infiltration.
“Reflections” is a new column featuring thoughts and commentary by former HEALTHCARE DESIGN Editor-in-Chief Richard L. Peck. Now aged 68 and semi-retired, I've gone through many “revolutions” in my lifetime. I have memories of writing news stories on manual...
Over the past several blogs, I’ve looked at a number of factors influencing healthcare design. Not surprisingly, technology has been an overriding force bringing greater healthcare options to more people. Yet as demographic changes and healthcare costs continue to...
