November 2, 2017

The Scoop

Let's Do This

Here we are - one week before the start of yet another Healthcare Design Expo & Conference. I’m always amazed at how quickly the year flies by and even more so how the four days of the event are quickly done. It's a time of absorbing so much inspiration - from the keynote speakers to all of the sessions presented by our industry's best. 

For those of you attending this year's Healthcare Design Expo & Conference, here are my top five tips for not only surviving the craziness of an almost 5,000 person conference but for getting the most out of your time and investment.

1. Comfortable shoes are a necessity. Don’t underestimate how hard a conference is on your feet. You will cover more miles than you think. 
2. Plan ahead. Download the conference mobile app and plan out your meetings in advance. Make sure the key people you want to see are officially on your calendar with a specifc time. 
3. Don’t plan out every minute. Leave time for those happy surprises and coincidental meetings of friends both old and new.
4. Even it it's warm outside, it can be cold inside. Wear layers.
5. Try new things. It’s a few days packed with incredible new opportunities. Sit at tables with people you have never met or go to at least one educational session that seems outside of what you perceive is your domain.

And, here are a few not-to-be-missed conference sessions to get onto your schedule:

Saturday, November 11

W01 Coaching Workshop: Practical Application of Evidence-Based Design, 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

W06 EDAC Exam Prep Session, 3:30 PM - 5:30 PM

Sunday, November 12

E12 Navigating an Ocean of Research: Our Top 10 Picks
of the Year, 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
Research is published faster than anyone can read it. How can researchers and practitioners keep up with the best available evidence?

Monday, November 13

EDAC Exam
A17: 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM or
A21: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM 

E51 Going Solo: A 10-Year Systematic Literature Review Of Single-Patient Rooms, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
With a recent focus on the high cost of construction and limited capital resources in the United States, should FGI revisit the singe-bed patient room mandate?

E53 In the Know: New Researchers Present New Research & New Results, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Through the New Investigator Award, The Center‘s Research Coalition gives you the scoop on new research from two next generation investigators.

D04 Bridging the Gap: A Common Language for Adapting to Healthcare’s Environments of Care, 2:00 PM – 4:15 PM
Gain a higher awareness of the role and importance of the functional program.

A18 - Distilling a Year of Learning, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Members of the Built Environment Network (BEN), (Kaiser Permanente, Yale New Haven Health System, Metro Health, The Boldt Company, and Mazzetti+GBA)  share some of the innovative best practices they are doing themselves or saw on their travels this past year around the country.

Here's to you getting the most out of your time in Orlando!

Be well,

Debra Levin, EDAC
President and CEO

Industry News Briefs

Research Matters: Patient Room Design And Falls

Falls are the result of a complex set of interactions. In this 2017 study, Dr. Debajyoti Pati and colleagues used a simulation-based approach to evaluate the biomechanics of falls to identify risk associated with physical design strategies.

Why does it matter?
As with any design problem, to optimize design solutions for performance and well-being, we need to better understand the needs, abilities, and limitations of people using the space. Past research has acknowledged the complexity of inpatient falls, which result from the interactions of organizational policies and procedures, the environment, and the people (patients and staff). This is particularly challenging for falls, as the patient is an active participant in the process. When we think about falls and patient room design, we have more evidence about tangible products (e.g., flooring, lighting) and less about how patient abilities might influence spatial layouts. The oft-asked question still prevails around bathroom location on the headwall or footwall and the use of handrails (or not) on that path. The current study helps us understand how the physical capabilities of the elderly influence specific physical environment design decisions that may contribute to falls in patient rooms.
Healthcare Design, more . . .

3 Technology Features To Improve Behavioral Health Environments

As the treatment of mental illness and substance abuse disorders gains parity within the healthcare environment, new approaches are evolving to accommodate the particular needs of these patients. Facility design for these patients must balance the need to provide a healing environment with adequate security for patients, families, visitors, and staff.

While there are new behavioral healthcare facilities being constructed, much of our work at Environments for Health Architecture (E4H) has been in redesigning and upgrading existing psychiatric inpatient facilities to improve safety, code compliance, functionality, and patient comfort. To achieve this, we apply lessons learned from evidence-based design, including new materials, strategies in layout, and lighting and security features. 
Healthcare Design, more . . .

Affordability, Innovation Key in Today’s Health Care Environment

Potential new health care legislation, cybersecurity, electronic health records, apps and wearables, consumerism, chronic disease management ... these are only a fraction of the issues facing our field today. In addition, an unsettled political landscape with regard to the fate of the Affordable Care Act provides greater uncertainty. Crafting a forward-thinking strategic plan, with significant member input, has been a crucial step in the American Hospital Association’s approach to navigating this ambiguous environment and actively shaping the road ahead.  

The 2018 Environmental Scan explores our current circumstances through the lens of our five strategic commitments: access, value, partners, well-being and coordination. Every hospital and health system seeks to advance in these areas, although their paths may differ depending on the unique characteristics of the organizations and the communities they serve. 
H&HN, more . . .