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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 31

Environmental Variables That Influence Patient Satisfaction: A Review of the Literature

Author(s): MacAllister, L., Zimring, C., Ryherd, E.
This paper is a literature review that compiles a number of studies investigating the layouts and designs of hospitals and work settings, and the influences that these environments have on health and behavioral outcomes in patients. More specifically, this review seeks to identify possible links between physical and social environmental influences to self-reported patient outcomes. The authors wish to more fully understand the elements that influence patient satisfaction, and then begin a discussion over how physical and social environments can be further analyzed to enhance satisfaction.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2016

Impact of the Physical Environment of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (RHCSF) on Staff and Residents A Systematic Review of the Literature

Author(s): Joseph, A., Choi, Y.-S., Quan, X.
Strategies related to the design of the built environment should be considered within the context of the culture of the organization and the resident population. This study of the physical environment of residential health, care, and support facilities addresses the range of settings and population, where other studies have been lacking. The literature review strongly suggests that the built environment is an important component of care provided in residential care settings.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2016

The design and initial evaluation of visual cues in carpets to assist walking

Author(s): McNeil, S. J., Tapp, L. S.
One way to reduce the occurrence of indoor falls for both elderly people and other individuals is to improve the design of floor coverings so that they can help create a safer walking environment. A growing number of studies are showing that the design of products such as carpets can specifically help older people lead more productive and independent lives by empowering them through safer opportunities for mobility.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2016

Managing Patient Falls in Psychiatric Inpatient Units: Part 1

Author(s): Abraham, S.
A significantly higher number of patient falls occur in hospital inpatient psychiatric units than in medical-surgical areas, resulting in issues with overall patient safety. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers patient falls a concern to society due to the safety issues they pose and financial strains they can cause for institutions.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2016

Pod Nursing on a Medical/Surgical Unit

Author(s): Friese, C. R., Grunawalt, J. C., Bhullar, S., Bihlmeyer, K., Chang, R., & Wood, W.
The project reported in this article uses a Pod Nursing (PN) care delivery model to enhance patient-nurse proximity and a team-based patient assignment to improve select nurse and patient outcomes.
Key Point Summary
Added January 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

One size fits all? Mixed methods evaluation of the impact of 100% single-room accommodation on staff and patient experience, safety and costs

Author(s): Maben, J., Griffiths, P., Penfold, C., Simon, M, Anderson, J. E., Robert, G., Pizzo, E., Hughes, J., Murrells, T., Barlow, J.
Authors indicate that despite the trend to adopt single-patient rooms, there is a dearth of strong evidence regarding its effect on healthcare quality and safety. When a hospital in England moved to a new building with 100% single rooms, a before-and-after move study was conducted on patient and staff experience, safety outcomes, and cost analysis. The study found that over two-thirds of the patients and one-fifth of the staff preferred single rooms.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Exploring Safety and Quality In a Hemodialysis Environment With Participatory Photographic Methods: A Restorative Approach.

Author(s): Marck, P., Molzahn, A., Berry-Hauf, R., Hutchings, L. G., Hughes, S.
The authors indicate that hemodialysis units can be fraught with numerous safety issues related to medication errors, lapses in communication, patient falls, equipment issues, infection control, etc. These issues can be critical in high-acuity units. This study used qualitative methods to identify existing and potential safety issues in a hemodialysis unit in a tertiary care hospital in Canada.
Key Point Summary
Added September 2015

Exploring Perceptions of Designers and Medical Staff in South Korea about Design Elements for the Elder-Friendly Hospital

Author(s): Kim, D., Lee, J. H., Ha, M.
The elderly population is growing around the world and so is the geriatric patient population. The authors indicate that despite the fact that the elderly will soon be the primary users of healthcare services, healthcare facilities are not designed for the elderly. In this study, designers and medical staff were asked to rate the importance of 33 design elements in the context of an elder-friendly hospital.
Key Point Summary
Added August 2015

The Geriatric ED: Structure, Patient Care, and Considerations for the Emergency Department Geriatric Unit

Author(s): Burton, J. H., Young, J., Bernier, C. A.
Older patients who visit the emergency department in developed countries are more likely to require a more specialized nature of treatment in comparison to younger patients. The authors believe that current-day emergency departments are not equipped to adequately treat these patients in terms of design and staff training for assessments and evaluations unique to this age group. The authors recommend a geriatric-specific approach to designing patient treatment spaces, medical evaluations, neurocognitive assessments, and post-ED visit support.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2015

Healing environment: A review of the impact of physical environmental factors on users

Author(s): Huisman, E. R. C. M., Morales, E., van Hoof, J., Kort, H. S. M.
According to the authors, research that examines the physical environment and its impact on the healing and well-being of human beings has been growing in the last several years. There is increasing availability of literature on evidence-based design.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2015

Inpatient fall prevention: Use of in-room Webcams

Author(s): Hardin, S. R., Dienemann, J., Rudisill, P., Mills, K. K.
The National Database for Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) maintains data on patient falls nationally. Reported fall rates have ranged from 2.2 to 7 per 1000 admissions; 10% to 25% of falls result in an injury, depending on patient population. Falls adversely impact hospital costs as well as patient costs and overall well-being. The California HealthCare Foundation reported that technological innovations in the field of fall prevention, such as wireless patient monitoring systems, resulted in faster nurse response times and increased satisfaction for both patients and staff.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2014

Are call light use and response time correlated with inpatient falls and inpatient dissatisfaction?

Author(s): Tzeng, H. M., Yin, C. Y.
Inpatients use call lights to seek nurses’ assistance. Although implied in patient safety, no studies have analyzed data related to the use of or response time to call lights collected by existing tracking mechanisms monitoring nursing practice.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2014

Link between patients' perceptions of their acute care hospital experience and institutions' injurious fall rates

Author(s): Tzeng, H. M., Hu, H. M., Yin, C. Y., Johnson, D.
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

A novel night lighting system for postural control and stability in seniors

Author(s): Figueiro, M. G., Gras, L., Qi, R., Rizzo, P., Rea, M., Rea, M. S.
Age-related changes may result in impaired balance control, and thus can lead to increase risk of falls among the elderly. Visual information provides a spatial reference for self-position and location of obstacles within a person’s environment. Lack of this information results in increased body sway. In addition, low ambient light levels reduce postural control. Therefore, this study investigated the effectiveness of a novel self-luminous light emitting diode (LED) night-lighting system that provided linear spatial orientation cues plus low ambient lighting for enhancing postural control in healthy seniors.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2014

Achieving EBD Goals Through Flooring Selection & Design

Author(s): Nanda, Upali, Malone, Eileen, Joseph, Anjali
Added April 2013

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

Furniture Design Features and Healthcare Outcomes

Author(s): Malone, E., Dellinger, B.
Added October 2012