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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 - 20 of 24

The Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity (Abstracts Table Supplement)

Author(s): Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Quan, X., Joseph, A., Choudhary, R.
Added December 2022

The Role of the Physical Environment in the Hospital of the 21st Century: A Once-in-a-Lifetime Opportunity

Author(s): Ulrich, R. S., Zimring, C., Quan, X., Joseph, A., Choudhary, R.
Added December 2022

Separate Medication Preparation Rooms Reduce Interruptions and Medication Errors in the Hospital Setting: A Prospective Observational Study

Author(s): Huckels-Baumgart, S., Baumgart, A., Buschmann, U., Schüpfer, G., Manser, T.
Errors and interruptions are commonplace during medication preparation procedures in healthcare environments. One study found that one interruption occurred for every 3.2 drugs administered during nurses’ medication rounds.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2016

Safer anaesthetic rooms: Human factors/ ergonomics analysis of work practices

Author(s): Davis, M., Hignett, S., Hillier, S., Hames, N., Hodder, S.
Added December 2016

Destination Bedside

Author(s): Watkins, N., Kennedy, M., Lee, N., O’Neill, M., Peavey, E., DuCharme, M., & Padula, C.
Patient-centered care (PCC) has been at the core of healthcare reform. Improvements and advancements in Healthcare Information Technology (HIT), Electronic Health Records and inpatient unit layout have been some means that aim to achieve PCC. Also key to PCC is the alleviation of medical errors, which HIT and related technology can help achieve.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2016

Realizing improved patient care through human-centered operating room design: A human factors methodology for observing flow disruptions in the cardiothoracic operating room

Author(s): Palmer, G., Abernathy, J. H., Swinton, G., Allison, D., Greenstein, J., Shappell, S., Juang, K., Reeves, S. T.
The authors indicate that disruptions in the workflow of surgeries can extend surgery times and contribute to the escalation of healthcare costs.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2015

The effects of physical environments in medical wards on medication communication processes affecting patient safety

Author(s): Liu, W., Manias, E., Gerdtz, M.
The physical environment of a hospital has a wide range of effects on the quality of care administered to patients. In the context of medication distribution, seamless communication among healthcare professionals of different backgrounds is imperative, and in many cases the physical environment itself can have positive or negative effects on this complex process.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

An Evaluation of Operating Room Safety and Efficiency: Pilot Utilization of a Structured Focus Group Format and Three-Dimensional Video Mock-Up To Inform Design Decision Making

Author(s): Watkins, N., Kobelja, M., Peavey, E., Thomas, S., Lyon, J.
While surgical and interventional procedures are the most profitable services within the hospital, the cost of building and maintaining an OR can quickly reduce the profitability of running an OR. Due to this precarious balance of revenue and cost, the planning and design of an OR should look to reduce injury to staff and prevent unnecessary costs, while increasing operational efficiencies.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2014

Effects of Acuity-Adaptable Rooms on Flow of Patients and Delivery of Care

Author(s): Hendrich, A. L., Fay, J., Sorrells, A.
Acuity-adaptable rooms could reduce patient transfer times, decrease costs, and increase patient quality of care and satisfaction. Researchers conducted a pre/post study in an acute care setting to evaluate the impact of moving to acuity-adaptable rooms on patient flow, hospital capacity, patient and staff satisfaction, sentinel events, average length of stay, and nursing productivity.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2014

The Effect of Environmental Design on Reducing Nursing Errors and Increasing Efficiency in Acute Care Settings: A Review and Analysis of the Literature

Author(s): Chaudhury, H., Mahmood, A., Valente, M.
In acute care settings, the physical environment plays an important role in staff efficiency and patient safety. Some research suggests that poor environments can result in staff stress, anxiety, and distractions due to noise; artificial lighting; improper or inadequate ventilation; and disorienting layouts of nursing units. There is less research on how environmental factors affect nursing staff health, effectiveness, errors, and job satisfaction.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2014

Using a Task Analysis to Describe Nursing Work in Acute Care Patient Environments

Author(s): Battisto, D., Pak, R., Vander Wood, M. A., Pilcher, J. J.
A growing body of research demonstrates linkages between workplace design and processes in healthcare facilities with staff and patient safety, operational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and medical errors. There has been less emphasis on the role of the built environment in helping or hindering care delivery. Research is needed on the contextualized activities performed by nurses and how nurses spend their time to measure the effects of interventions aimed at redesigning care to improve safety or efficiency or to understand the implications of policy changes for nursing practice.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2014

Nurses’ Perceptions of How physical Environment Affects Medication Errors in Acute Care Settings

Author(s): Mahmood, A., Chaudhury, H., Valente, M.
Medication errors in hospitals occur for a number of reasons, stemming from staff and organizational issues to aspects of the physical environment. Errors include omissions, giving the wrong type or amount of medication, and giving the wrong patient unneeded medication. Research has indicated that a significant amount of these errors are avoidable.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2014

Impact of Medication Storage Cabinets on Efficient Delivery of Medication and Employee Frustration

Author(s): Hull, T., Czirr, L. , Wilson, M.
Safe medication administration is essential to ensuring positive patient outcomes and is a priority in healthcare institutions. Recent innovations in technology and automation are designed to eliminate errors as well as move activities closer to the patient’s bedside to improve nursing workflow. It has been postulated that moving medications and supplies closer to the point of care reduces nurses’ traveling time and makes it easier to administer medication.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2014

Healthcare Environmental Terms and Outcome Measures: An Evidence-based Design Glossary

Author(s): Quan, X., Malone, E., Joseph, A., Pati, D.
Added October 2012

Designing for Patient Safety: Developing Methods to Integrate Patient Safety Concerns in the Design Process

Author(s): Joseph, A., Taylor, E. M. , Quan, X., Jelen, M.
Added October 2012

Role of the Physical and Social Environment in Promoting Health, Safety, and Effectiveness in the Healthcare Workplace

Author(s): Joseph, A.
Added October 2012

ED located next to ICU to bolster patient safety: staff from both departments can lend a hand

Author(s): Thompson
Added October 2012

Designing with health in mind. Innovative design elements can make hospitals safer, more healing places

Author(s): Sadler, B.L.
Added October 2012

The Role of the Physical Environment in Promoting Health, Safety, and Effectiveness in the Healthcare Workplace

Author(s): Joseph, A.
Added October 2012

The healing environment in our communities and healthcare settings: research excellence into practice

Author(s): Craft, N.
Added October 2012