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Design Evaluation Of Six Primary Care Facilities For The Purpose Of Informing Future Design Decisions
Min Kantrowitz & Associates
96 pages, with illustrations
The Center for Health Design, 1993

Executive Summary

Primary care is a diverse, changing and critically important part of America's healthcare system today. This research project, sponsored by The Center for Health Design, is the first endeavor that begins to examine the implications that the changing primary care system has on the facility design.

The research project studied six primary care facilities in the U.S. -- one each located near Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, New Orleans, and Seattle. All were associated with a larger health care provider organization, and ranged in size from 10,000 square feet to 55,000 square feet. The definition of primary care varies among these six organizations. Each of these groups has taken the initiative to custom fit the mix of primary care services to meet the needs of the population and communities served.

There is little recent published literature available to inform or guide designers, administrators, researchers or facility managers about successful primary care facility design. The designers of each facility carefully evaluated design issues -- such as flexibility, efficiency, and image -- and developed and implemented new and effective design solutions.These designers reject the old sterile image of medical settings, instead providing comfortable light, welcoming spaces which enhance patient, visitor and staff experiences. They pay careful attention to patient choice and privacy, staff interaction and abundant natural light.

These facilities reflect their organizations' focus on health promotion and continuity of care, and a shift from large-scale to smaller scale facilities with a mix of centralized and decentralized functions which balance personal attention and efficiency. The facilities include patient education spaces and accessible community rooms.

Most facilities have flexible, adaptable spaces and furnishings, appropriate to today's quickly changing health care scene.These design concepts are consistent with trends in primary care, which include emphasis on wellness in an efficiency-oriented, capitation-based healthcare environment; client and community orientation with an emphasis on convenient access; a shift from hospital care toward primary care and home care with associated changes in training of a variety of healthcare providers; and the increasing importance of information and other technologies in healthcare.

This case study research was based on a very small sample of facilities, but it identifies a set of critical design issues faced by many involved with design, development, and operation of primary care facilities. As more primary care environments are designed, these issues deserve more rigorous examination, leading to research-based design guidance.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements
Executive Summary
Preface
Introduction
Trends
Methodology
Case Studies

• Boston: Quincy Health Center, Harvard Community Health Plan
• Chicago: MacNeal Medical Center in Bridgeview, MacNeal Hospital
• Detroit: Redford Medical Center, Henry Ford Health System
• Minneapolis: Inver Grove Heights Medical and Dental Center, Group Health, Inc.
• New Orleans: Ochsner Metairie Neighborhood Clinic, Ochsner Clinic
• Seattle: University Medical Center, Group Health Cooperative

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Armstrong World Industries
Interiors Magazine
LUI Corporation
Milcare, Inc.
National Symposium on Healthcare Design
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