When a patient is confined to a room due to illness, injury, or surgery, the medical patient room design can drastically impact the healing process. Thankfully for the patient population, medical facility design firms are making strides in considering these impacts and incorporating patient health into medical patient room design. Intelligent room design is a newer concept, as healthcare facilities were previously constructed to suit the needs of caregivers rather than those of the patient, and physical surroundings weren’t considered an integral part of the healing process.
Today, there is a heightened awareness of how patient room design impacts recovery, and it’s affecting how the healthcare industry is looking at designing and constructing medical care facilities. With a greater focus on providing a healing atmosphere for patients, facilities are moving toward more single-patient rooms, reducing noise and overhead announcements, installing sound-absorbing floor and ceiling materials, and increasing exposure to natural light and surroundings for their patients in recovery.
With benefits such as reducing patient stays, improving overall patient mood, and reducing the use of pain killers, the choice to increase natural lighting, offer outside views, and provide soothing art installations are well worth incorporating into the medical patient room design of a modern-day healthcare facility. Design firms are focusing on accommodating both the business of healthcare and the need for quality patient care in a medical environment. Many patient care rooms today seem to replicate those of hotel rooms, as opposed to offering their residents institutionally dull aesthetics, poor lighting, and windowless walls. As a result, patients of all ages – from neonatal intensive care patients to the elderly – are realizing the manifold benefits of private rooms and suites that are clean, quiet, and geared toward the specific needs of the patients who inhabit them.
Along with a new perspective of how patient room design impacts recovery is an increased understanding of how these facility design improvements better accommodate patient visitors and family members. Studies have shown that private rooms reduce patient stress, enable better quality sleep, increase the privacy and feelings of dignity for the patient, assist with inner healing and peace of mind, and speed up recovery times in general. Family members who visit or spend the night are also more comfortable and relaxed and experience less worry and stress over their loved ones’ recovery. The overarching idea is to create a more home-like environment to instill confidence among patients and their families.
Apex Design Build
Apex is a well-respected design build firm based in Chicago that has earned a stellar reputation for providing state-of-the-art Healthcare design and construction over four generations. Apex delivers modern healthcare projects Nationwide that reflect the unique style and personality of individual practice owners.
Apex Design Build can take your vision of the ideal Medical facility and bring it to life. Let’s work together to get started on the exciting adventure of designing your healthcare office.