The effect of vertical split-flow patient management on emergency department throughput and efficiency
2018
The American Journal of Emergency Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 9
Volume 36
Pages 1581-1584
Author(s): Garrett, J. S., Berry, C., Wong, H., Qin, H., Kline, J. A.
In some emergency departments (EDs), the severity of a patient’s condition is rated on a 5-point scale during admission using the Emergency Service Index (ESI). Under the “split-flow” model of patient triaging, patients with less-severe conditions (rated an ESI 4 or 5) are “fast tracked” so that they can be separated from patients with higher ESI scores, allowing for more efficient resource allocation for all patient treatment procedures.
Added December 2018
Introduction of a horizontal and vertical split flow model of emergency department patients as a response to overcrowding
2018
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 44
Pages 345-352
Author(s): Wallingford, G., Joshi, N., Callagy, P., Stone, J., Brown, I., Shen, S.
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) strive to optimally organize patient flow so that optimal care can be delivered while patient length of stay is minimized. The emergency severity index (ESI) is a 5-point scale used to help medical staff discern the severity of patient conditions; higher ESI scores indicate less-severe medical conditions.
Added December 2018
Influencing building design in care for older people
2018
British Journal of Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 20
Volume 27
Pages 1188-1191
Author(s): Southey, S. R.
This article describes the author’s efforts to better understand aspects of design tailored to elderly patients seeking emergent care in the United Kingdom and Canada.
Added November 2018
The influence of spatial design on team communication in hospital emergency departments
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 12
Pages 100-115
Author(s): Naccarella, L., Raggatt, M., Redley, B.
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) are often high-intensity, busy, and complex environments treating especially sensitive patient populations in a time-sensitive manner. The nature of ED environments places added emphasis on the importance of clear communication between staff members and how the overall design of an ED might impact these interactions.
Added September 2018
Effects of Emergency Department Physical Design Elements on Security, Wayfinding, Visibility, Privacy, and Efficiency and its Implications on Staff Satisfaction and Performance
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 12
Pages 72-88
Author(s): Zamani, Z.
While it is commonly known that emergency departments (EDs) are often challenging and stressful work environments, it is less understood how the physical design of the ED environment contributes to staff performance and satisfaction, especially in the context of five important subtopics: security, visibility, wayfinding, privacy, and efficiency.
Added September 2018
Pilot study to measure wheelchair users’ space requirements in the bathroom
2018
Journal of Enabling Technologies
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 12
Pages 129-140
Author(s): Morales, E., Gamache, S., Routhier, F., Rousseau, J., Doyle, O.
In healthcare facilities around the world, many construction codes pertaining to building accessibility standards for patients using mobility devices (such as wheelchairs) have remained unchanged despite the introduction of newer mobility devices and changing patient demographics.
Added September 2018
Sink-Related Outbreaks and Mitigation Strategies in Healthcare Facilities
2018
Current Infectious Disease Reports
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 20
Pages 42
Author(s): Parkes, L. O., Hota, S. S.
Hand hygiene activities, such as simple handwashing procedures within designated sinks, have been regarded as an effective way to prevent infections for over a century. As hospitals increase in size and are expected to provide treatment to increasingly large patient populations in the future, hand hygiene protocols and sink designs should be continually assessed so that rates of infection remain as minimal as possible.
Added August 2018
Legibility of floor plans and wayfinding satisfaction of residents in Care and Attention homes in Hong Kong
2018
Australasian Journal on Ageing
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 37
Pages E139-E143
Author(s): Tao, Y., Gou, Z., Lau, S. S.-Y., Lu, Y., Fu, J.
This study takes place in Hong Kong, where “Care and Attention” homes are defined as healthcare facilities treating patients with moderate mental and physical impairments. Hong Kong’s high population density directly affects healthcare infrastructure; accordingly, this study focuses on a high-density, high-population Care and Attention home.
Added August 2018
The Role of Hospital Design in Reducing Anxiety for Pediatric Patients
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 11
Pages 66-79
Author(s): Cartland, J., Ruch-Ross, H. S., Carr, L., Hall, A., Olsen, R., Rosendale, E., Ruohonen, S.
Since the 1960s, researchers have been studying the psychological trauma experienced by children receiving treatment in hospitals. Previous studies have observed instances of post-traumatic stress disorder, increased aggression, separation anxiety, and disrupted patterns of sleep in children discharged from hospitals.
Added July 2018
Door openings in the operating room are associated with increased environmental contamination
2018
American Journal of Infection Control
Journal Article
Issue 8
Volume 46
Pages 954-956
Author(s): Perez, P., Holloway, J., Ehrenfeld, L., Cohen, S., Cunningham, L., Miley, G. B., Hollenbeck, B. L.
Opening doors during surgical procedures, which occurs increasingly often when more staff members are occupying an operating room, can lead to higher amounts of bacteria that may pose health risks to patients and operational issues for institutions.
Added May 2018
The Influence of Traffic, Area Location, and Other Factors on Operating Room Microbial Load
2018
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 39
Pages 391-397
Author(s): Taaffe, K., Lee, B., Ferrand, Y., Fredendall, L., San, D., Salgado, C., Shvorin, D., Khoshkenar, A., Reeves, S., Realizing Improved Patient Care through Human-Centered Design in the Operating Room (RIPCHD OR) Study Group
Traffic movement in hospitals causes disturbances and helps spread microbiota. Operating rooms (OR) can have surgical site infections (SSI) that are dangerous and can result in complications for patients.
Added April 2018
The Seniors' Outdoor Survey (SOS Tool): A Proposed Weighting and Scoring Framework to Assess Outdoor Environments in Residential Care Settings
2018
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 32
Pages 99-120
Author(s): Bardenhagen, E., Rodiek, S., Nejati, A., Lee, C.
As the numbers of elderly patients seeking professional care increase demands on many different healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals continue to pursue advances in both pharmacological and non-pharmacological tools to help improve patient recovery and overall quality of life. Access to outdoor spaces, especially within medical care contexts, has been shown to promote considerable improvements in patient recovery and overall experience. In the case of elderly patient populations who may be living or seeking extended treatment within healthcare environments, consideration of patient preferences and intended uses of such outdoor spaces is of high importance.
Added April 2018
Can a Virtual Nature Experience Reduce Anxiety and Agitation in People With Dementia?
2018
Journal of Housing For the Elderly
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 32
Pages 176-193
Author(s): Reynolds, L., Rodiek, S., Lininger, M., McCulley, A.
By 2050, the numbers of individuals in the United States with dementia is projected to be 16 million, with a current cost of care at $259 billion. The majority of individuals with dementia experience stressful emotions of agitation and anxiety, along with associated behaviors, that are challenging for their caregivers.
Added April 2018
Top Five Physical Design Factors Contributing to Fall Initiation
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 11
Pages 50-64
Author(s): Pati, D., Lee, J., Mihandoust, S., Kazem-Zadeh, M., Oh, Y.
Falls in older patients are dangerous and are of major concern for healthcare professionals. Several studies were done on the associated causes of the falls but few have addressed the impact of the physical environment.
Added April 2018
Through the Eyes of the User: Evaluating Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Design
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 11
Pages 49-65
Author(s): Denham, M. E., Bushehri, Y., Lim, Lisa
Premature babies require special care in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). This could take on average 80 days and would include the presence of the mother for proper infant development.
Added March 2018
Safety, Performance, and Satisfaction Outcomes in the Operating Room: A Literature Review
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 11
Pages 137-150
Author(s): Joseph, A., Bayramzadeh, S., Zamani, Z., Rostenberg, B.
There are many operating rooms (ORs) constructed more than 30 years ago that remain operational today, and many of these spaces are inadequately designed to withstand the processes, equipment, and people needed for contemporary OR procedures. Even in developed countries, patients undergoing inpatient surgeries experience major complications 3-22% of the time.
Added February 2018
The Role of Environmental Design in Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship: A Systematic Literature Review
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 11
Pages 18–32
Author(s): Gharaveis, A., Kazem-Zadeh, M.
Approximately 1.6 million new cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. New techniques for treating cancer are constantly being developed, with many healthcare professionals and designers turning towards more patient-centered services and designs to achieve better patient outcomes.
Added February 2018
The Impact of Operating Room Layout on Circulating Nurse’s Work Patterns and Flow Disruptions: A Behavioral Mapping Study
2018
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 11
Pages 124–138
Author(s): Bayramzadeh, S., Joseph, A., San, D., Khoshkenar, Amin, Taaffe, K., Jafarifiroozabadi, R., Neyens, D. M.
While there are studies focused on the effect that architectural layout, space planning, and adjacencies have on workflow patterns at the unit level, there are few studies at the micro level of individual procedure rooms or surgical suites. The layout of the OR and the placement of equipment may contribute to extraneous and unnecessary movement or create barriers to safety and efficiency, resulting in surgical workflow disruption (SFDs).
Added February 2018
Acoustic environments of patient room in a typical geriatric ward
2018
Applied Acoustics
Journal Article
Author(s): Jerlehag, C., Lee, P. J., Park, S. H., Jones, T., Carroll, N.
Previous studies have thoroughly demonstrated the harmful effects of background noise within healthcare environments; one study found that high levels of background noise disrupted patient sleep cycles, while even higher levels of noise led to elevated heart rates among nurses.
Added January 2018
Decentralization: The Corridor Is the Problem, Not the Alcove
2018
Critical Care Nursing Quarterly
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 41
Pages 3-9
Author(s): Hamilton, D. K., Swoboda, S. M., Lee, J.-T., Anderson, D. C.
This study explored changes within the healthcare industry (e.g., single-patient rooms, electronic medical records, etc.) and the shift to a more linear unit design as factors that could be leading to communication breakdowns, challenging the notion that a decentralized nursing station is the primary contributor.
Added December 2017
