Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY
Opening a new ambulatory care building in 2007. Recently conducted some preliminary studies in six existing ambulatory sites to examine how wait times affect perceived quality and anxiety. Key findings include:
- The more attractive the environment, the higher the perceived quality and the lower the anxiety.
- Patients underestimated longer (30+ minutes) actual wait times; and overestimated short (0-5 minutes) actual wait times.
- No significant relationship between actual wait times and perceived quality or perceived anxiety.
- Significant relationship between perceived wait times and perceived quality and perceived anxiety.
Parrish Medical Center, Titusville, FL
Opened a new hospital in 2002. A survey of 734 staff members in 2004 found that the majority feel that the design features, -- access to natural light, improved airflow, separation of public/patient transport areas, and "homelike" patient room design -- positively affect the quality of their worklife and help them provide care more effectively.
- Staff turnover is at 13% a year since the new building opened; was in the low 20s in the old facility.
PeaceHealth Organization, Eugene, OR
While waiting to begin construction on its new 440-bed regional medical facility, PeaceHealth installed ceiling lifts and booms in patient rooms in two units (ICU and Neurology) of its existing facility. After analyzing patient handling injuries over the past four to five years, PeaceHealth has found that the use of ceiling lifts has virtually eliminated staff injuries caused from patient handling.
Administrators report that the annual cost of patient handling injuries in those two units is approximately 99% less than before. Applying this data "house wide," they estimate that the $1.64 million cost that they will spend making all 306 patient rooms in their new facility lift ready will be paid back in approximately 1.88 years.
St. Alphonsus Regional Medical Center, Boise, ID
While awaiting construction of a $161.2 million addition, it renovated a nursing unit in 2003 to test out the research methodology it plans to use on the larger project:
- Noise levels were reduced by designing larger private rooms, adding carpet to hallways, putting acoustical tiles on walls and ceilings, and relocating machinery and nurse charting away from patients.
- Average decibel rate per patient room was less than 51.7.
- Quality of sleep improved from 4.9 to 7.3 (on a scale of 0-10).
- Patient satisfaction scores improved during a three-month comparison period.
Bronson Methodist Hospital, Kalamazoo, MI
Since opening its out- and inpatient pavilions in April and November 2000:
- Nursing turnover rates are down to 4.7%.
- Occupancy rate has risen to 87%.
- Overall patient satisfaction increased to 96.7%.
- Private patient rooms have resulted in a) decreased patient transfers because of the elimination of conflicts among patients that necessitated moves and b) an increase in patient sleep quality.
- Private rooms, location of sinks, and air inflow design have also resulted an 11% decline in overall nosocomial infection rates.
- Market share has increased.
- Employee satisfaction has improved.
- Built environment survey found that private rooms made for a better patient experience and that it enables higher quality of patient care.
Methodist Hospital / Clarian Health Partners, Indianapolis, IN
Since opening its new Comprehensive Cardiac Critical Care unit in 1999, the following data has been collected:
- Patient falls are down 75% due to the unit’s decentralized design, which allows for better observation.
- Patient room layout, equipment integration, and other design features have helped push patient transfers down 90%.
- Overall patient dissatisfaction has dropped from 6% in 1998 to 3% in 2001.
- Decrease in patient transfers and nurses' more consistent knowledge of each patient's condition have contributed to an improved medication error index.
- Unit design has helped reduce the caregiver workload index, resulting in improvements in nursing efficiency.
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Detroit, MI
Data collected on two inpatient units that opened in 1999 and 2000 includes:
- Patient satisfaction rose 18%.
- Nurse attrition rate fell from 23% to 3.8%.
- Lower daily variable costs per case.
- Reduced pain medication requirements.
- Decrease in medication variances.
- 30% reduction in medical errors, a result of increased space in medication room, location of medication room, organization of medical supplies, standardized visual cues, and acoustical panels to decrease noise levels.
- 6% reduction in patient falls, a result of better visualization of patients due to angle of doorway, improved lighting, and room layout.
For more information, e-mail or call Angela Skaggs tel. 925.521.9404.
Media members: e-mail or call Natalie Zensius at tel. 925.521.9404
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