Low stimulus environments: reducing noise levels in continuing care
2016
BMJ Quality Improvement Reports
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 5
Pages 1-4
Author(s): Brown, J., Fawzi, W., Shah, A., Joyce, M., Holt, G., McCarthy, C., Stevenson, C., Marange, R., Shakes, J., Solomon-Ayeh, K.
This article highlights a project that aimed to reduce levels of intrinsic background noise on an adult mental health ward. Following intervention, the ward was able to decrease the background noise decibel level from 60dB to 53dB (on average).
Added November 2016
The therapeutic impacts of environmental design interventions on wellness in clinical settings: A narrative review
2016
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice
Journal Article
Author(s): Iyendo, T. O., Uwajeh, P. C., Ikenna, E. S.
Added July 2016
A Recovery-Oriented Care Approach: Weighing the Pros and Cons of a Newly Built Mental Health Facility
2016
Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 54
Pages 39–48
Author(s): Ahern, C. C., Bieling, P., McKinnon, M. C., McNeely, H. E., Langstaff, K.
An inpatient mental health hospital was renovated with a newly built environment that incorporated patient-centered, clinically informed designs in an attempt to improve overall safety and quality of care. The new designs were considerably expensive and had extensive design implications for other parts of the hospital outside of the mental health facility.
Added June 2016
Healthcare Staffs’ Experiences and Perceptions of Caring for People with Dementia in the Acute Setting: Qualitative Evidence Synthesis
2016
International Journal of Nursing Studies
Journal Article
Author(s): Houghton, C., Murphy, K., Brooker, D., Casey, D.
Dementia is an international health issue that greatly impacts healthcare delivery systems. Individuals with dementia have specific needs when it comes to healthcare, and it seems that, generally, acute care environments aren’t suitable for these individuals. Considering how previous studies have shown that as much as a quarter of individuals utilizing acute hospital services are likely to have dementia, the authors posit that there needs to be a shift in ethos, organization, and environment in which more appropriate care is provided to patients with dementia in acute care settings.
Added June 2016
Analysis of Credits Earned by LEED Healthcare Certified Facilities
Author(s): Golbazi, M., Aktas, C. B.
Green buildings have garnered widespread public support due to the positive impacts they are perceived to have on the environment, the economy, and society as a whole. The concept of green building design appeals to institutions because of its potential benefit for the indoor and outdoor environment as well as its potential for improving public image. As a result, there may be hospitals that become certified by the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system but aren’t actually providing a green healthcare environment that positively influences patients and their periods of recovery. This is an important distinction since the core purpose of healthcare facilities is to improve the conditions of the sick and vulnerable, as well as society overall.
Added June 2016
Understanding Green Building Design and Healthcare Outcomes: Evidence-Based Design Analysis of an Oncology Unit
2016
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Journal Article
Author(s): Campion, N., Thiel, C. L., Focareta, J., Bilec, M. M.
The United States healthcare industry is a major part of the economy as well as a significant contributor to carbon dioxide emissions and other environmental issues. Green building design (GBD) attempts to offset environmental impacts of buildings, and recently designers have been combining GBD with evidence-based design (EBD) in order to create facilities that positively impact both the external and internal environment.
Added June 2016
Route complexity and simulated physical ageing negatively influence wayfinding
2016
Applied Ergonomics
Journal Article
Author(s): Zijlstra, E., Hagedoorn, M., Krijnen, W. P., van der Schans, C. P., Mobach, M. P.
In this study, “wayfinding” is defined as determining and following a path or route between an origin and a destination. Wayfinding can be particularly difficult in complex and sometimes stressful environments like hospitals, and as hospitals continue to expand to meet increasing healthcare demands, their layouts face the possibility of becoming more difficult to navigate. Wayfinding is particularly difficult for the elderly, who may have memory issues and weakened physical abilities. Support from the environment is necessary to help elderly people function at their best, so it is important to understand what elements of the designed environment either benefit or confuse them.
Added May 2016
Impact of the Physical Environment of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities (RHCSF) on Staff and Residents A Systematic Review of the Literature
2015
Environment and Behavior
Journal Article
Issue 10
Volume 48
Pages 1203-1241
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.
Added May 2016
A Conceptual Model for Healthcare Facility Design
2014
Journal of Nursing Administration
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 44
Pages 321-325
Author(s): Stichler, J. F.
This study article presents a conceptual model to explain the interrelationships among healthcare design elements.
Added January 2016
Measuring the Use of Examination Room Time in Oncology Clinics: A Novel Approach to Assessing Clinic Efficiency and Patient Flow
2014
Journal of Oncology Practice
Journal Article
Author(s): Hamel, L. M., Chapman, R., Eggly, S., Penner, L. A., Tkatch, R., Vichich, J., Albrecht, T. L.
Inefficient use of time can drain resources and impede effective clinic flow. Long wait times in oncology units often result in higher costs for both caregivers and patients, while patients also tend to experience increased stress and reduced overall satisfaction with their treatment. Long wait times have also been shown to directly and indirectly reduce patient adherence to recommended treatments.
Added December 2015
Intensive care unit design and mortality in trauma patients
2014
Journal of Surgical Research
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 190
Pages 640-646
Author(s): Pettit, N. R., Wood, T., Lieber, M., O'Mara, M. S.
A primary concern for many patient care units is the question of where to place more seriously ill patients within the space that is available. Questions regarding the impact of architectural features, such as the availability of natural lighting, or adjacency to nurse stations on patient health outcomes should be further explored so that increasingly effective healthcare environments can be established. Currently, no data exist demonstrating whether trauma patients receiving treatment in intensive care unit (ICU) beds with poor visibility from a central nursing station experience health outcomes different from those in rooms that may be more visible from the nursing station.
Added December 2015
Ready-JET-Go: Split Flow Accelerates ED Throughput
2015
Journal of Emergency Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 42
Pages 114-119
Author(s): Bish, P. A., McCormick, M. A., Otegbeye, M.
Emergency departments (ED) in America have seen large increases in demand for emergency services over the last decade. This increased demand for ED services has resulted in delayed treatment for patients, increased rates of patients leaving the ED without receiving treatment, and decreases in satisfactory ED visit experiences.
Added December 2015
Initiatives to reduce overcrowding and access block in Australian emergency departments: A literature review
2014
Collegian
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 21
Pages 359-366
Author(s): Crawford, K., Morphet, J., Jones, T., Innes, K., Griffiths, D., Williams, Allison
Australian emergency departments are experiencing an increasing demand for their services. Patient throughput continues to expand resulting in overcrowding and access block where patients cannot gain entry to appropriate hospital beds. This is despite both state and federal governments implementing numerous schemes to address the complex causes of stress on emergency departments. This paper...
Added December 2015
Using Lean-Based Systems Engineering to Increase Capacity in the Emergency Department
2014
Western Journal of Emergency Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 7
Volume 15
Pages 770-776
Author(s): White, B., Chang, Y., Grabowski, B., Brown, D.
Emergency department (ED) crowding is a widespread issue that causes a multitude of negative effects on patient care quality, safety, and efficiency. Lean-based systems engineering, which is often used for industrial manufacturing, is a method for eliminating all forms of waste (including wasted time and other resources) to optimize productivity. Recent studies have begun to demonstrate the use of systems engineering and improvement science on streamlining processes and improving throughput in different medical capacities, but an opportunity remains to refine the application of these tools within EDs in particular.
Added December 2015
Emergency department observation units: A clinical and financial benefit for hospitals
2011
Health Care Management Review
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 36
Pages 28-37
Author(s): Baugh, C.W., Venkatesh, A. K., Bohan, J. S.
This article presents a review of literature to make a clinical and business case for establishing EDOUs. The literature was found to indicate that EDOU care contributes to more effective clinical decision-making and the generation of higher revenue than the same patients would if admitted and then discharged.
Added March 2015
Improving patient flow and reducing emergency department crowding: A guide for hospitals
2012
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
Report
Author(s): McHugh, M., VanDyke, K., McClelland, M., Moss, D.
Added March 2015
Including patients, staff and visitors in the design of the psychiatric milieu
2013
Facilities
Journal Article
Issue 9/10
Volume 31
Pages 379-390
Author(s): Perkins, N. H.
Most research addressing environmental design for healthcare facilities focuses on expert-determined and expert-driven outcomes. Little attention has been given to the perspectives offered by those who are ultimately using the facilities, namely the patients, staff, and visitors. Participatory design and planning (PDP) is a method that takes these non-expert opinions into consideration while operating under three assumptions. First, healthcare facilities are complex environments that require a team of people who can understand and maintain structured information necessary for optimum design.
Added December 2014
Caring or uncaring – meanings of being in an oncology environment
2006
Journal of Advanced Nursing
Journal Article
Issue 2
Volume 55
Pages 188-197
Author(s): Edvardsson, D., Sandman, P. O., Rasmussen, B.
The idea that the physical environment impacts health and well-being has been explored throughout history. In modern contexts, studies have been conducted to show how hospital design features such as art and views of natural scenery can positively influence patient experience, and how environmental variables such as sound, architecture, and color can affect different biomedical responses in...
Added November 2014
A Comprehensive Comparison of Open-Bay and Single-Family-Room Neonatal Intensive Care Units at Sanford Children's Hospital
2012
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 5
Pages 23-39
Author(s): Stevens, D. C., Helseth, C. C., Thompson, P. A., Pottala, James V, Khan, M. A., Munson, D. P.
Added September 2014
A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Patient Reviews of Hospital Care in England: Implications for Public Reporting of Health Care Quality Data in the United States
2013
Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 39
Pages 7-15
Author(s): Lagu, T., Goff, S. L., Hannon, N. S., Shatz, A., Lindenauer, P. K.
Added September 2014