The health emergency that came due to COVID-19 was an unpredictable event, the limited capacity of intensive care and the even more reduced availability of beds for infectious patients, even in specialized or more recent structures, made it extremely difficult to cope with the epidemic adequately, during the peak.
Whether for a new building or an existing ward: in the following sections you will find effective measures to improve the feeling of space in the hospital.
Spaces help heal.
Structures that are adapted to the patient’s perspective and the medical requirements of intensive care medicine can have a significant impact on the healing process in intensive care units.
The term ‘Healing Architecture’ aims at the connection between architecture and health in general as well as healing processes in particular and, in a broader sense, at the prevention of diseases through suitable design of internal and external spaces.
Scientists agree that the environment also has a positive effect on the healing process. There are around a thousand studies on this worldwide.
They show that patients who heal in a comfortable hospital setting require less medication. In addition, their blood pressure drops, their heart rate drops, and patients experience less stress.
If the brightness, room temperature and volume as well as colours and materials are correct, this has been proven to lead to a significantly shorter patient stay. Which means that investments for such conditions are not “only” expressed in patient satisfaction, but also in terms of money.
Hotel room-style patient rooms – the last word of wisdom?
It took a long time to gain acceptance that investments in “Healing Architecture” are worthwhile. Today, however, the topic is being taken into account more and more frequently in new hospital buildings, thanks to hospital project consultants in India.
Unfortunately, only a few architects are familiar with the subject. These currently pursue one approach in particular: the patient room designed like a hotel room.
After realizing that there are many parallels between the service in the hotel and the requirements in the hospital, the first step was to transfer the offers and the service concept of the hotel industry to the hospitals.
The conclusion: If there are so many positive parallels in service, then this certainly also applies to other areas, such as the design of the rooms.
That brings improvements: the rooms are becoming more homely. In addition to a table with chairs, there is also a small couch-seating area where patient can, for example, retreat with visitors.
The colour coordination and materiality in modern hospitals is much more pleasant than the cold white and the cheap art prints from the Internet, which can still be found in some clinics. These developments are good and correct. They don’t go far enough, however.
Inevitably, the rooms have to be furnished in such a way that they create a feel-good atmosphere for all possible preferences, tastes and styles. With white walls and prints by famous artists you can at least achieve acceptance among a relatively large part of the population, perhaps not with enthusiasm, but at least with acceptance. However, there is more you can do. And that often doesn’t have to cost a lot.
So, what’re you waiting for? Follow the experts’ advice and turn to top hospital consulting firms in India before embarking on the journey of designing a new hospital or if you want to remodel your medical centre.
