July 26, 2018

The Scoop

Shared Purpose, Shared Vision

Our community is both amazing and diverse. Over the past 25 years, The Center has been influencing the ways in which healthcare envionments are designed and built. But, our work and the resources we provide, depend on the commitment of our community which includes many people from different sectors, all working to support a common mission. This collaboration and support comes to us through a variety of different types of relationships, including our partners, sponsors, members, educators and volunteers who work with our dedicated staff toward common goals, sharing case studies, participating in virtual and in-person educational events, and helping us to create and produce tools and resources that propel our industry forward. 

We recently announced the launch of our Safety toolbox - a library of expert insights, case studies, research data, strategies and tools -  all available free to the industry thanks to our partnership with Grainger. This toolbox empowers healthcare organizations, designers, suppliers and others involved in the planning, design, construction and operation of healthcare facilities with pertinent tools and solutions to address the many different safety challenges. 

Maybe you and your team are looking for a way to recharge, learn about new design strategies, meet industry experts and get inspired. We've got several upcoming events that will do just that - make sure you pick up on some of this positive energy and get the following events on your calendar including:

• July 26, Webinar: Engaging Art & Photography in Environments for Aging 
• July 26, Chicago Health Design Insights Networking Event, The Cliff Dwellers, Chicago, IL
• July 31, Early Bird Deadline for Behavioral Health - Strategic Design Innovations that Improve Treatment Outcomes, Safety and the Bottom Line Workshop
• August 2, EBD Journal Club: Exploring the Concept of Healing Spaces
• August 23, Webinar: Demystifying Patient Data: Using Medical Records in Healthcare Design Research
• September 13, New York Health Design Insights Networking Event, Steelcase WorkLife Center, NYC
• September 21, New Investigator Research Award Submission Deadline
• September 27, Behavioral Health—Strategic Design Innovations that Improve Treatment Outcomes, Safety and the Bottom Line Workshop, Baltimore, MD

As always, let me know what tools and resources are helpful to you, and we'll feature them in our future newsletters.

Be well,

Debra Levin, EDAC
President and CEO

Industry News Briefs
 

Inova Health System Following Trend to Inpatient Behavioral Health

The hallways of Inova Health System's newest inpatient mental health unit gleam white and new.

With all private patient rooms, they look very much the style of patient rooms popping up in brand new hospital towers around this region of the country.  And despite safety design features—such as hidden sensors to help monitor patients at risk for self-harm and doors that are built to be barricade-proof—that is what Inova hopes patients will see in the newly renovated unit.

"Three years ago, we embarked on this journey to increase behavioral health beds with the knowledge that we really needed to find more specialized care for our patients outside of a general psychiatric population. We do that with any other type of illness," said Michelle Mullany, Inova's assistant vice president of behavioral health. 

Later this month, the hospital will open that behavioral health inpatient unit with one floor dedicated to adolescents and another for adults. FierceHealthcare, more . . . 

The AIA Academy of Architecture for Health’s Case Study Library

Architects, designers and planners usually conduct literature reviews, site and facilities tours, and occasionally put together informal “case studies” for their clients and teams to review before beginning a new project. The AIA/AAH Research Initiatives Committee proposed a new and more formal format for these type of informal case studies with the idea that increased rigor will improve the quality of the case studies and eventually lead to more detailed POE studies by researchers.

In 2016, the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health began a pilot case study project utilizing the UCLA Outpatient Surgery and Cancer Center Project (one of the 2013 AIA/AAH Healthcare Design Award winning projects). This was followed up in the spring of 2017 with additional case studies utilizing six of the seven 2016 AIA/AAH Healthcare Design Award winners as the first phase of a case study formatting project with the goal of “bridging the gap” between research and practice by creating a Case Study Library located on the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health’s website. Since that time, another 14 case studies have been added with plans to add another 12 before the end of the year.  
AIA KnowledgeNet, more. . .

Designing to Bring Primary, Behavioral Care Together

The majority of behavioral health diagnoses are made in the primary care setting, placing primary care physicians in an ideal position to create a cohesive treatment plan for patients with concurrent physical and behavioral health conditions. For example, a patient who suffered a heart attack may also require care for depression, a common comorbidity that if treated properly can significantly reduce the odds of a future heart attack.

However, primary care physicians may lack the time and expertise required to provide prolonged support for more complex behavioral health conditions, driving the need to integrate behavioral health and primary care services in a single setting. Healthcare organizations around the country are beginning to adopt this practice, recognizing that coordinated care reduces the burden on the primary care provider, improves health outcomes and cost effectiveness, and ultimately enhances quality of care.

To help support these outcomes, designers are optimizing built environments where clinicians can easily collaborate in a single space and deliver integrated treatment plans.  
Healthcare Design, more . . .

5 Ways Design is Transforming Behavioral Healthcare

Today, more than 40 million American adults suffer from a mental-health condition, and half of all chronic mental illness begins by the age of 14. Despite these overwhelming statistics, the negative stigmas associated with mental illness, combined with a scarcity of clinicians and facilities, resulted in over half of those with behavioral health conditions forgoing treatment last year. 

This population is among the most marginalized in the U.S. healthcare system, but we are seeing more and better in- and out-patient and research facilities coming on line every day. What we know from recent post-occupancy evaluations and working closely with clinical staff is the critical role that design plays in removing the stigma associated with psychiatric care, normalizing the care environment, and improving patient outcomes.

Here are five ways design is transforming behavioral healthcare:
Building Design & Construction, more . . .