Key Concepts/Context
There are eight consistent attributes that patients and family members look for in healthcare environments.
Objectives
The purpose of this research was to learn more about how healthcare environments can be designed to mesh with patient and family member expectations for healthcare facilities.
Methods
Three focus groups were held at each of the following types of healthcare facilities: acute care, long-term care, and ambulatory care. Groups had from 7 to 12 participants, with 91 total participants in all groups. Participants were divided relatively equally between all three settings. Of the participants, 24 were family members and the remainder patients.
Design Implications
Healthcare facilities should be designed after considering the eight factors (listed in the Findings section) that patients and family members use to evaluate them.
Findings
Patients and family members consider the following factors when evaluating healthcare environments:
- connection to staff
- conducive to well-being
- convenient and accessible
- confidentiality and privacy
- caring for the family
- consideration of impairments
- connection to the outside world
- safety and security
Limitations
- Only three focus groups were conducted in each type of healthcare facilities.
- Few racial, ethnic, cultural, and other minorities participated in the focus groups.
Setting
Ambulatory care facilities|Hospitals|Non-healthcare settings|Other healthcare facilities|Residential healthcare facilities
Outcome Category
Patient / resident satisfaction and comfort
Environmental Condition Category
Attractiveness of physical environment|Distraction/interruption|Environmental hygiene|Lighting|Patient Satisfaction and Comfort|Physical proximity/density|Sound|Thermal condition|Visibility