Insights & Solutions

E4H planned and designed the first inpatient bed expansion at Virginia Hospital Center since 2004. The multi-phased project will convert existing medical offices on floors 3 and 4 into state-of-the-art inpatient units, with private patient rooms that are 60% larger than other units and 30% larger than standard patient rooms.

Hospital for Special Surgery and United Surgical Partners International formed a joint partnership to create an orthopedic center of excellence in West Palm Beach, Florida. Adjacent to the Good Samaritan Hospital, the new center offers outpatient orthopedic care including diagnostic services, ambulatory surgery, rehabilitation, and sports performance programs, bringing the top quality care of HSS to communities in South Florida. The 4-level building features floor-to-ceiling windows to encourage natural light and views of the ocean. A 5-level parking garage adjacent to the Hospital offers convenient, direct access to the building.  

The project's mission was to solve the extensive inpatient needs of the campus, with the goal of increasing the number of single-rooms from 30% to 90% and updating the oldest rooms on the campus. The planning & conceptual design process involved heavy user group input including collaboration with the Facility Master Planning Steering Committee, Sustainability Council, Internal Departments, Design User Groups for nursing, support, and ancillary services, and Patients and Families Design User Group.  

Altro Tegulis is a hygienic wall panel solution with a chic, authentic tile look and feel. The custom-etched grout lines eliminate the need for scrubbing and repair issues common with traditional ceramic tile.

Wang, Z., & Pukszta, M. (2018). Private Rooms, Semi-Open Areas, or Open Areas for Chemotherapy Care: Perspectives of Cancer Patients, Families, and Nursing Staff. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal

In recent years, the design of spaces for chemotherapy treatment has shifted from private rooms and open-units in inpatient settings, to semi-open areas in outpatient care centers. Despite the shift towards ambulatory care, the majority of evidence-based design research in this area is still focused on the inpatient setting. This appears to be one of the first studies to look at what patients need and want during their treatment in ambulatory chemo treatment centers.  

Rich, R. K., Jimenez, F. E., Puumala, S. E., DePaola, S., Harper, K., Roy, L., Brittin, J. (2020). From Fable to Reality at Parkland Hospital: The Impact of Evidence-Based Design Strategies on Patient Safety, Healing, and Satisfaction in an Adult Inpatient Environment. Health Environments Research & Design Journal, pages in press.

Sharon Woodworth is both a practicing healthcare architect shaping her practice at HED into a national firm, and an associate professor at UCSF teaching healthcare architecture to physicians and nurses who want to be a CEO in healthcare.

Turn in to hear about Sharon’s vast and prolific career in healthcare.

How could a large health care provider use creative design principles to proactively improve the health of the community it serves, and empower its constituents to participate in enhancing their own individual well-being? Parkview Health, a large nonprofit health system of more than 80 community hospitals and clinics which is headquartered in Fort Wayne, serves residents of northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio through inpatient and outpatient facilities, physician offices, and affiliate entities. Through routine needs assessments, community health needs are identified, including food equity/access to fresh produce. Alleviating food insecurity through education and access to low-cost, healthy foods requires support from hospital administrators and area governmental and social service agencies; and a physical location on campus has been needed to serve as a learning center and greenhouse where these activies would take place.

This webinar will share research and case studies that explore how design can be used as a tool complementing therapeutic protocols to reduce patient stress and aggression on pediatric mental health units.