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Knowledge Repository

A complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references MoreLess about the Knowledge Repository

The Knowledge Repository is a complete, user-friendly database of healthcare design research references that continues to grow with the latest peer-reviewed publications. Start with our Knowledge Repository for all of your searches for articles and research citations on healthcare design topics. Access full texts through the source link, read key point summaries, or watch slidecasts. Expand your search and find project briefs, interviews, and other relevant resources by visiting our Insights & Solutions page.

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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16

Patient and clinician engagement with health information in the primary care waiting room: A mixed methods case study

Author(s): Penry Williams, C., Elliott, K., Gall, J., Woodward-Kron, R.
Health literacy (i.e., the ability to understand medical information) is a big part of how people make decisions about their health. The availability of health information in waiting rooms has the potential to provide education to people who may not otherwise have access.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2022

Understanding nurses’ workflow: Batching care and potential opportunities for transmission of infectious organisms, a pilot study

Author(s): Gregory, L., Weston, L. E., Harrod, M., Meddings, J., Krein, S. L.
Hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) strategies are employed to prevent disease transmission in the contact precaution room. Studies revealed that precautionary measures perceived as overwhelming required more time in patient care and required changes in workflow.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2019

Medication error trends and effects of person-related, environment-related and communication-related factors on medication errors in a paediatric hospital

Author(s): Manias, E., Cranswick, N., Newall, F., Rosenfeld, E., Weiner, C., Williams, A., Wong, I. C. K., Borrott, N., Lai, J., Kinney, S.
Previous studies have found that children receiving care in pediatric facilities can face a high risk of medication errors due to a combination of person-related, communication-related, or environment-related factors. This study further examines how environment-related factors specifically influence medication errors.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2019

Effects of adjustable dynamic bedroom lighting in a maternity ward

Author(s): Canazei, M., Pohl, W., Weninger, J., Bliem, H., Weiss, E. M., Koch, C., Berger, A., Firulovic, B., Marth, C.
This study considered the impact of dynamic vs. static lighting color and intensity on mothers who had scheduled C-section deliveries of healthy babies in a single Austrian maternity clinic.
Key Point Summary
Added July 2019

The effect of a non-talking rule on the sound level and perception of patients in an outpatient infusion center

Author(s): Zijlstra, E., Hagedoorn, M., Krijnen, W. P., van der Schans, C. P., Mobach, M. P.
The World Health Organization has recommended that noise in patient care areas be limited to support healing. The authors of this study explore the effect of a behavioral intervention aimed at reducing conversational noise in the context of an outpatient infusion center and its result on patient perceptions.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2019

Exploring the Effects of Clinical Exam Room Design on Communication, Technology Interaction, and Satisfaction

Author(s): Zamani, Z., Harper, E. C.
The use of electronic health records (EHRs) in exam rooms is common, but research assessing the impact of EHRs on the exam experience is mixed. Limited research for healthcare design suggests exam room layouts can influence patient-provider interactions through improved information sharing.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2019

A regional survey on residents’ preferences on patient-centered medical home design in rural areas

Author(s): Cai, H., Spreckelmeyer, K., Mendenhall, A., Li, D., Holmes, C., Levy, M.
The patient-centered medical home (PCMH) is a delivery model for primary care that is characterized by the recognition of unique patient needs while providing accessible services, a focus on safety and quality, comprehensive care, and coordinated care.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2018

Healthcare signage design: A review on recommendations for effective signing systems

Author(s): Rodrigues, R., Coelho, R., Tavares, J. M. R. S.
Studies have shown that designing “patient-centric” healthcare environments can alleviate stress for both patient populations as well as healthcare staff members. Patient-centric designs carefully consider how patients will interact with the built environment, and how the built environment itself can work to make their healing process easier.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2018

Accessing green spaces within a healthcare setting: A mixed studies review of barriers and facilitators

Author(s): Weerasuriya, R., Henderson-Wilson, C., Townsend, M.
Many previous studies have described the benefits of natural environments (or “green spaces”) on overall human well-being. Healthcare providers have increasingly drawn attention to how green spaces within healthcare environments may positively affect both patients and staff.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2018

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a Crisis Shelter Garden and Application of Findings Through the Use of a Participatory Design Process

Author(s): Lygum, V. L., Poulsen, D. V., Djernis, D., Djernis, H. G., Sidenius, U., Stigsdotter, U. K.
As an increasing number of designers and healthcare practitioners utilize nature-based therapy tools, there is a growing need to understand how certain elements within these natural spaces might contribute to heightened therapeutic effects for patients with specific conditions. Crisis shelters that provide healthcare resources to women and children exposed to domestic abuse could benefit from nature-based therapy tools, but a deeper understanding of how these environments should be built is needed.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2018

Association between room location and adverse outcomes in hospitalized patients

Author(s): Mayampurath, A., Ward, C., Fahrenbach, J., LaFond, C., Howell, M., Churpek, M. M.
Previous studies have found that placing patient rooms far away and/or out of sight from nursing stations can lead to adverse health outcomes. This seems logical, since closer proximity to nursing stations ideally should lead to faster delivery of healthcare services.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2018

How enclosure and spatial organization affect residents’ use and experience of a dementia special care unit: A case study

Author(s): Van Hecke, L., Van Steenwinkel, I., Heylighen, A.
One approach to housing people with dementia involves the creation of small-scale, homelike environments. Since this approach is not always affordable, healthcare designers are working to design dementia special care units (SCUs) that provide the benefits of small-scale facilities while still being housed inside of large-scale residential care facilities.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2018

What makes a garden in the elderly care facility well used?

Author(s): Shi, S. L., Tong, C. M., Marcus, C. C.
The World Health Organization estimates that by 2050, 22% of the world’s population will be over the age of 60. As the population of this age group continually increases, healthcare providers are constantly striving to improve the quality of long-term care facilities so that they can provide better experiences for elderly patients.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2018

Optimal spaces for those living with dementia: Principles and evidence

Author(s): Barrett, P., Sharma, M., Zeisel, J.
The World Health Organization (WHO) identifies dementia as a major cause of dependency among elderly populations around the world, with roughly 50 million people affected at the time of this writing.
Key Point Summary
Added August 2018

ICU nurses' experiences of environmental elements and their meaning for patient care at an ICU: A qualitative content analysis

Author(s): Petersson, E., Wångdahl, L., Olausson, S.
Previous research on the intensive care unit (ICU) environment has focused primarily on outcomes for patients (e.g., infection prevention, delirium, and satisfaction). There is very little research examining the impact of the ICU environment on staff.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2018

Understanding Design Vulnerabilities in the Physical Environment Relating to Patient Fall Patterns in a Psychiatric Hospital: Seven Years of Sentinel Events

Author(s): Bayramzadeh, S., Portillo, M., Carmel-Gilfilen, C.
Finding effective ways to prevent patient falls and fall-related injuries has been an ongoing struggle and debate for many modern medical practitioners. Previous studies have shown that nearly 30% of falls that occur in hospital settings result in injuries and, subsequently, additional treatments.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2018