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5 Things You May Not Have Noticed About The Design Of Hospitals

hospital interior designPeople do not want to spend their time in hospitals. Whether it is the patient or the patient’s family, their number one goal is to leave with renewed health. But that doesn’t mean that their stays at the hospital need to be dreary and bleak.

Hospitals have taken design to a whole new level that actually promotes patient rejuvenation. There are so many small aspects of hospital design that are purposefully done that a random passerby might take for granted.

Natural Light

One of the most important features of modern hospital design is the use of natural light. Gone are the days of fluorescent bulbs lazily flickering against sterile white walls and plain white tiled floors.

Hospitals today use floor to ceiling windows, skylights, and other creative ways to let in the natural light. Natural light has proven to help the healing process while also allowing the patient to see the outside world.

Art

Most walls of hospitals, waiting rooms, exam rooms, and patient rooms have some form of art hanging up. These pieces, believe it or not, were chosen on purpose. The curator of the pieces may have chosen a specific piece or a specific room because of the mood it conveys. For example, an art piece hanging in a consultation room might have a soothing effect. The purposefully placed artwork was used to help assist with keeping the patient calm as they await the news from their doctor.

Color Schemes

As mentioned before, gone are the days of the sterile white color scheme from floor to ceiling. Many hospitals nowadays use natural tones and accent walls to help give the hospital some personality. It also provides the patient with a little more visual stimulation so that their eyes have something to adjust to other than white.

Flow

Hospital flow is one of the most unnoticed features by a patient. In fact, even if you are consciously aware that the hospital is using a certain flow, you still might not notice it. The flow of the hospital is designed for both the patient and the staff.

Every portion of the hospital is laid out in a way that makes it easy for staff to transfer a patient from one department to the other. It is also laid out so that family members can easily locate the patient they are visiting.

Interactive Features

Finally, with more modern hospitals, all of the interactive features often go unnoticed but used. Some hospitals have check in kiosks or interactive maps to help guide them. Patients can often times take advantage of perks such as wifi or video games. These interactive touches are all designed to help the patient during their healing process.

For more information about designing the perfect touches for your healthcare facility, please contact AKA Design Inc. or call us at 972-267-3421.