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Publication Date: 2006

Issue Paper #3

The Role of the Physical and Social Environment in Promoting Health, Safety, and Effectiveness in the Healthcare Workplace - November 2006

The physical environment plays an important role in improving the health and safety for staff, increasing effectiveness in providing care, reducing errors, and increasing job satisfaction. Proper design of healthcare settings, along with a culture that prioritizes the health and safety of the care team through its policies and values, can reduce the risk of disease and injury to hospital staff and provide the necessary support needed to perform critical tasks.

White Papers

Designing the 21st Century Hospital:  Environmental Leadership for Healthier Patients, Facilities, & Communities - September 2006

The nation’s healthcare system is anticipating a hospital construction boom worth $200 billion over the next decade. At this pivotal moment, hospitals leaders are asking, what is the role of hospitals in the 21st century in improving patient and community health? Evidence suggests that when hospitals adopt green building and design approaches that minimize ecological harm, patient healing and staff satisfaction increases, and hospitals serve as leading environmental stewards in their communities.

Research Summary

Health Promotion by Design in Long Term Care Settings - August 2006

The prevalence of chronic conditions is projected to increase dramatically with the aging of the population. In fact, by year 2030, nearly 150 million Americans will have a chronic condition. Consequently, the need for quality long-term care will also increase in the years to come. This report, which was prepared for the Laguna Honda Foundation with funding from the California HealthCare Foundation, assesses the state of the science linking the physical environment with resident and staff outcomes in long-term care settings.

Issue Paper #2

The Impact of Light on Outcomes in Healthcare Settings - August 2006

Studies show that higher light levels are linked with better performance of complex visual tasks and light requirements increase with age. By controlling the body’s circadian system, light impacts outcomes in healthcare settings by reducing depression among patients, decreasing length of stay in hospitals, improving sleep and circadian rhythm, lessening agitation among dementia patients, easing pain, and improving adjustment to night-shift work among staff. This issue paper was funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Issue Paper #1

The Impact of the Environment on Infections in Healthcare Facilities - July 2006

Hospital-acquired infections, or nosocomial infections, are one of the leading causes of death in the United States —- killing more Americans than AIDS, breast cancer, or automobile accidents. In 1995 alone, nosocomial infections contributed to more than 88,000 deaths -- one death every six minutes -- and cost $4.5 billion. This issue paper was funded by a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

CHER (Coalition for Health Environments Research) Paper

The Impact of Single-Room Neonatal Intensive Care on User's Health and Satisfaction - 2006

A recent trend in the design of neonatal intensive care facilities has been to increase the number of private patient rooms for neonates and their families. The purpose of this study is to explore the implications of single family rooms (SFRs) relative to open-bay arrangements in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs).