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Q&A: A Look Inside Interior Health Care Design

The rapidly evolving ways health care providers are caring for their patients and the new information on the built environment’s effect on the healing process is transforming health care design from the inside out. Increased focus on healthy materials, greater awareness of the benefits of green design and an aging population are drivers of today’s modern health care facility. Providing evidence-based design, health care interior designers are answering the call to create a healthy and positive healing space for all patients. In this Q&A, Healthcare Construction & Operations News spoke with Carolyn BaRoss, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP, principal and health care interior design director at Perkins + Will, about the transformation of interior design in health care facilities.
Q: What are some major trends in health care interior design today?
BaRoss: It’s a very exciting and rewarding time to be designing health care facilities, with big shifts in attitudes about how the environment is a partner in care. It’s truly about an enhanced experience for patients. We are redefining what good institutional design can be. A health care facility can be uniquely it’s own, but also beautiful, welcoming, sophisticated and very much value-driven.
There has been a shift in priorities towards wellness, with a deep understanding that the interior environment can influence our health. This is manifesting itself in many ways, from considerations for active design to material health to the impact of the environment on all occupants. For a while, the priority was impact on the patient, but lately there has been equal focus on staff. There’s a more holistic approach to design of the health care workplace and an awareness of its impact on performance, acoustics, fatigue, collaboration and communication.
Q: What is the greatest change you have witnessed in health care interior design in the past five years?
BaRoss: There’s increased design quality and creative, excellent work being produced by large and small firms. Many more interior designers and architects are focused on health care design, with more higher education programs offering classes with a health care interiors focus.
There’s also a blending and sharing of humane design, creative explorations and high-performance principles across market sectors — health care, commercial, higher education and science and technology, and hospitality — with an increased awareness of staff needs in their health care workplace and its impact on patient outcomes. We have an understanding that the interior environment can be a partner in creating environments that foster collaboration and enhanced communication.
Optimistically, there’s an increased awareness of material health and sustainability and some transparency from certain forward-thinking manufacturers, but we are looking forward to more innovation and responsible offerings in both material composition and in maintenance protocols.
Q: How can interior design decisions help to create a more healing environment for patients?
BaRoss: Designers can help reduce stressors by organizing spaces for intuitive wayfinding, providing understanding of context and orientation of location and time of day, with access to daylight and pleasing views to nature. Interior designers are schooled in ergonomics, and effective ergonomic design in furnishings and environment will have a positive impact on both the patient and caregiver. Comfortable areas for family can support participation in patient care to a positive effect.
Areas of greatest risk and concern are fertile grounds for improvement. To reduce patient falls, one can provide slip-resistant patient care areas in layout, detail and finish. Easily cleaned and durable materials will help reduce spread of infection. Acoustical design is incredibly important for patients by reducing stress and facilitating restful and healing sleep, and to help staff focus and reduce stressors, as well as researching and specifying healthy materials and cleaning protocols.
The impact of the overall design cannot be underestimated; lighting quality, art programs and meaningful integration of positive distraction in many forms provide beauty and lift the spirit.
Q: How can interior design decisions help advance a project’s sustainable goals?
BaRoss: There are many ways to help advance a project’s sustainable goals. A few include: configuring space to allow abundant access to light and views, specifying highly efficient systems that use less energy and materials that are locally sourced with consideration to entire lifecycle of the product. Also, designers can carefully investigate material health by not specifying materials with VOCs or made from components with detriment to human and environmental health, such as PVC. Materials with environmentally cleaning protocols help maintain better air quality when the facility is occupied.
Q: What are some of the major differences between interior design in a children’s hospital versus that of a hospital geared towards adults?
BaRoss: In many ways there are similarities. Everyone wants to be in a joyful environment regardless of age, but children’s hospitals serve the entire family in multiple ways. Consideration to how a family needs to continue to function throughout a child’s stay can make a difference. Our projects include spaces for parents to be present during exams and procedures. Imaging space at The Johns Hopkins Hospital Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center includes a shielded area for a parent to maintain eye contact with their child during the procedure. There are special areas where a family can have quiet moments out of the room in small lounges and alcoves, and there is accommodation for well siblings to engage with pediatric patients in play environments.
Q: How are interior designers responding to the nation’s aging population?
BaRoss: The industry has begun to think about the aging population in a meaningful way, but I believe more change is coming. There are some communities for aging that are modern, sophisticated and optimistic in their message, with furnishings that are ergonomically appropriate and no different in appearance than a nice hotel or residence. It’s a market that has tremendous potential. Wouldn’t one want to stay in their home, engaged with their daily life for as long as possible, and then to receive care if necessary in environments that reflect that person’s personality? I can’t imagine the baby boomer generation settling for what’s broadly available at this time. At the same time, many cannot afford to move into a facility, and the ability to age in place with dignity opens up the need for clever and appropriate solutions that are also affordable.

The post Q&A: A Look Inside Interior Health Care Design appeared first on HCO News.

Q&A: A Look Inside Interior Health Care Design

The rapidly evolving ways health care providers are caring for their patients and the new information on the built environment’s effect on the healing process is transforming health care design from the inside out. Increased focus on healthy materials, greater awareness of the benefits of green design and an aging population are drivers of today’s modern health care facility. Providing evidence-based design, health care interior designers are answering the call to create a healthy and positive healing space for all patients. In this Q&A, Healthcare Construction & Operations News spoke with Carolyn BaRoss, ASID, IIDA, LEED AP, principal and health care interior design director at Perkins + Will, about the transformation of interior design in health care facilities.
Q: What are some major trends in health care interior design today?
BaRoss: It’s a very exciting and rewarding time to be designing health care facilities, with big shifts in attitudes about how the environment is a partner in care. It’s truly about an enhanced experience for patients. We are redefining what good institutional design can be. A health care facility can be uniquely it’s own, but also beautiful, welcoming, sophisticated and very much value-driven.
There has been a shift in priorities towards wellness, with a deep understanding that the interior environment can influence our health. This is manifesting itself in many ways, from considerations for active design to material health to the impact of the environment on all occupants. For a while, the priority was impact on the patient, but lately there has been equal focus on staff. There’s a more holistic approach to design of the health care workplace and an awareness of its impact on performance, acoustics, fatigue, collaboration and communication.
Q: What is the greatest change you have witnessed in health care interior design in the past five years?
BaRoss: There’s increased design quality and creative, excellent work being produced by large and small firms. Many more interior designers and architects are focused on health care design, with more higher education programs offering classes with a health care interiors focus.
There’s also a blending and sharing of humane design, creative explorations and high-performance principles across market sectors – health care, commercial, higher education and science and technology, and hospitality – with an increased awareness of staff needs in their health care workplace and its impact on patient outcomes. We have an understanding that the interior environment can be a partner in creating environments that foster collaboration and enhanced communication.
Optimistically, there’s an increased awareness of material health and sustainability and some transparency from certain forward-thinking manufacturers, but we are looking forward to more innovation and responsible offerings in both material composition and in maintenance protocols.
Q: How can interior design decisions help to create a more healing environment for patients?
BaRoss: Designers can help reduce stressors by organizing spaces for intuitive wayfinding, providing understanding of context and orientation of location and time of day, with access to daylight and pleasing views to nature. Interior designers are schooled in ergonomics, and effective ergonomic design in furnishings and environment will have a positive impact on both the patient and caregiver. Comfortable areas for family can support participation in patient care to a positive effect.
Areas of greatest risk and concern are fertile grounds for improvement. To reduce patient falls, one can provide slip-resistant patient care areas in layout, detail and finish. Easily cleaned and durable materials will help reduce spread of infection. Acoustical design is incredibly important for patients by reducing stress and facilitating restful and healing sleep, and to help staff focus and reduce stressors, as well as researching and specifying healthy materials and cleaning protocols.
The impact of the overall design cannot be underestimated; lighting quality, art programs and meaningful integration of positive distraction in many forms provide beauty and lift the spirit.
Q: How can interior design decisions help advance a project’s sustainable goals?
BaRoss: There are many ways to help advance a project’s sustainable goals. A few include: configuring space to allow abundant access to light and views, specifying highly efficient systems that use less energy and materials that are locally sourced with consideration to entire lifecycle of the product. Also, designers can carefully investigate material health by not specifying materials with VOCs or made from components with detriment to human and environmental health, such as PVC. Materials with environmentally cleaning protocols help maintain better air quality when the facility is occupied. Taking the help of professional cleaning like an austin cleaning service could also assist in maintaining an efficient system of keeping up with health standards.

Q: What are some of the major differences between interior design in a children’s hospital versus that of a hospital geared towards adults?
BaRoss: In many ways there are similarities. Everyone wants to be in a joyful environment regardless of age, but children’s hospitals serve the entire family in multiple ways. Consideration to how a family needs to continue to function throughout a child’s stay can make a difference. Our projects include spaces for parents to be present during exams and procedures. Imaging space at The Johns Hopkins Hospital Charlotte R. Bloomberg Children’s Center includes a shielded area for a parent to maintain eye contact with their child during the procedure. There are special areas where a family can have quiet moments out of the room in small lounges and alcoves, and there is accommodation for well siblings to engage with pediatric patients in play environments.
Q: How are interior designers responding to the nation’s aging population?
BaRoss: The industry has begun to think about the aging population in a meaningful way, but I believe more change is coming. There are some communities for aging that are modern, sophisticated and optimistic in their message, with furnishings that are ergonomically appropriate and no different in appearance than a nice hotel or residence. It’s a market that has tremendous potential. Wouldn’t one want to stay in their home, engaged with their daily life for as long as possible, and then to receive care if necessary in environments that reflect that person’s personality? I can’t imagine the baby boomer generation settling for what’s broadly available at this time. At the same time, many cannot afford to move into a facility, and the ability to age in place with dignity opens up the need for clever and appropriate solutions that are also affordable.

The post Q&A: A Look Inside Interior Health Care Design appeared first on HCO News.