The Center for Health Design is comprised of an interdisciplinary group of healthcare and design professionals who passionately believe, at a minimum, that: Patients should be able to devote their energies to getting well without having to fight their environments....
Throughout the last century, the shift in perception of mental illness from incurable to controllable disease has expanded the possibilities of traditional healing. Medication and therapy are now seen as successful techniques for conquering and managing mental health disorders. To further healing, rehabilitation facilities looking to incorporate holistic healing programs should consider the impact of the physical environment on the mental, emotional, and physical states of patients.
“Reflections” is a new column featuring thoughts and commentary by former HEALTHCARE DESIGN Editor-in-Chief Richard L. Peck. Ah, the comment every parent wants to see on a preschooler's report card. And now, wouldn't you know, it's a comment healthcare designers are...
This month's Showcase feature (found on page 44) presented a rare opportunity for me. In mid-December 2009, Online Editor Chris Gaerig and I ventured out to nearby Concord Township, Ohio, to tour this issue's spotlight facility, TriPoint Medical Center, in person....
I've always loved new beginnings and all the optimism that comes with them. A new school year meant fresh clean notebooks, new school clothing, and new friends. New jobs offered new opportunities, new surroundings, and new challenges. And new relationships offered the...
A recent poll on HEALTHCARE DESIGN asked: How significantly is disaster planning taken into account in your designs to be prepared for events like the tragedy in Haiti? 60.00% - We always take disaster planning into account when designing a facility 40.00% - We only...
Pebble Partner Affinity Health System's St. Elizabeth Hospital, located in Appleton, Wisconsin, applies Lean principles to identify and eliminate waste, evidence-based design (EBD) practices to enhance the patient experience, and sustainable criteria to design and...
This year, for the first time, Practice Greenhealth has compiled data from its 2009 Partner for Change (PFC) Award applications, in an effort to break “greening” down into specific activities and help identify the structure that supports ongoing environmental...
In my last blog, I spoke with HGA colleague Gary Nyberg, RA, about the changes he has seen in patient room design over the past 25 years. Many of the same developments impacting the patient rooms—evolving technology, greater emphasis on the patient experience,...
Last week's poll question on HEALTHCARE DESIGN asked: A recent blog post addressed HIPPA compliance and design considerations. When designing interiors, how much focus is directed toward HIPPA compliance? 33.33% - It is the first thing we take into consideration...
Before the New Year, I unfortunately had to make a trip to the hospital to visit a friend who suddenly became ill. When I arrived at the hospital via cab, I found myself wondering where I should enter—which door do I enter? I walked into the spacious lobby and found...
We all know we need to learn from the past so we don’t repeat it, but what if sometimes we do? As construction professionals, it is important for us to learn from one project to the next and repeat the good while correcting the mistakes. A good “lessons learned” process is one that seeks out all aspects of lessons whether they are directly related to services delivered or to interactions with clients.
