What is Evidence-based Design (EBD)?
Evidence-Based Design (EBD) is the process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes. Included in this process are the following eight steps:
-
Define evidence-based goals and objectives.
-
Find sources for relevant evidence.
-
Critically interpret relevant evidence.
-
Create and innovate evidence-based design concepts.
-
Develop a hypothesis.
-
Collect baseline performance measures.
-
Monitor implementation of design and construction.
-
Measure post-occupancy performance results.
A large and growing body of evidence attests to the fact that physical environment impacts patient stress, patient and staff safety, staff effectiveness and quality of care provided in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Basing healthcare facility planning and design decisions on this evidence to achieve the best possible patient, staff and operational outcomes is what evidence-based design is all about.
