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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 - 18 of 18

The role of the physical environment in conversations between people who are communication vulnerable and health-care professionals: a scoping review

Author(s): Stans, S. E. A., Dalemans, R. J. P., de Witte, L. P., Smeets, H. W. H., Beurskens, A. J.
Added April 2022

The Impact of Visibility on Teamwork, Collaborative Communication, and Security in Emergency Departments: An Exploratory Study

Author(s): Gharaveis, A., Hamilton, D. K., Pati, D., Shepley, M.
Added February 2018

The Impact of Environmental Design on Teamwork and Communication in Healthcare Facilities: A Systematic Literature Review

Author(s): Gharaveis, A., Hamilton, D. K., Pati, D.
Added February 2018

Time, space and technology in radiotherapy departments: how do these factors impact on patients' experiences of radiotherapy?

Author(s): Merchant, S., O'Connor, M., Halkett, G.
Radiation therapy is one of the more common treatments available to cancer patients. Radiation therapists (RTs) are the clinical providers who interact with patients and provide the treatment. The authors note that different organizations like the National Comprehensive Cancer Network in the U.S., the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence in the UK, and the National Breast Cancer Center and National Cancer Care Initiative in Australia either have or recommend developing guidelines for palliative, supportive, and psychosocial care in oncology settings. Literature shows that patients have reported anxiety about the illness, the treatment, and its impact on their everyday activities, which in turn has the potential for non-compliance with the treatment requirements. In this study, RTs, nurses, and patients in two treatment centers (of two different large public hospitals in Australia) were observed and interviewed. The study sought to assess to what extent the physical and cultural environment of the treatment unit was supportive for care and communication. Findings indicate that the physical design of the two centers was not conducive for patient-centered care or for effective communication between patient and RT.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Integrating Lean Exploration Loops Into Healthcare Facility Design: Schematic Phase

Author(s): Johnson, K., Mazur, L. M., Chadwick, J., Pooya, P., Amos, A., McCreery, J.
Lean Exploration Loops (LELs) are part of a Lean production methodology that involves thinking preemptively about the “next steps” within a process and rapidly generating, testing, and evaluating these next steps prior to any formal narrowing-down of viable options. Lean production models are applied within healthcare environments in a variety of ways; however, this study is unique in how it presents the use of LELs during the “schematic phase” of construction planning for a new large surgical tower. Although the schematic phase usually entails determining the layout for each floor of a given building, this study focuses only on the second floor of the new tower due to its role as the “master floor.”
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Developing an evidence base of best practices for integrating computerized systems into the exam room: A systematic review.

Author(s): Patel, M. R., Vichich, J., Lang, I., Lin, J., Zheng, Kai
The use of electronic health records (EHR) is increasing at medical facilities across the US. Computerized systems provide a better infrastructure for healthcare delivery.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Building Situation Awareness on the Move: Staff Monitoring Behavior in Clinic Corridors

Author(s): González-Martínez, E., Bangerter, A., Lê Van, K.
Hospital staff members are responsible for remaining continuously aware of a care unit’s functioning while simultaneously performing individualized tasks in a deeply interconnected and unpredictable environment.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Wayfinding for health seeking: Exploring how hospital wayfinding can employ communication design to improve the outpatient experience

Author(s): Short, Eden Jayne, Reay, S., Gilderdale, P.
Hospital spaces have the ability to provide physical and emotional well-being. However, the journey through health systems is becoming stressful.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

A Novel ICU Hand-Over Tool: The Glass Door of the Patient Room

Author(s): Wessman, B. T., Sona, C., Schallom, M.
The Institute of Medicine has identified poor communication among the patient care team as one of the most common causes of serious errors in patient care. There was a desire in this organization to create a culture of team-oriented continuity of care by changing the mindset of handoff reporting to handover reporting communication among multidisciplinary care team members on key aspects of the patient’s daily plan of care. They developed a communication tool that included key areas of care (tests, care goals and progress toward those goals, treatments, and consultation recommendations) and printed the topic areas on the glass door of the patient room. The information was updated regularly throughout the day/night so that the most current information on patient status was available any time for rounding by various care providers, specialists, and consultants. The information was also available for viewing by the patient’s family.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2017

Electromagnetic Interference with Wireless Communication in Hospitals Newly Identified Problems with Medical Telemeter Systems

Author(s): Hanada, E., Ishida, Kai, Kudou, T.
Added November 2017

The Role of the Built Environment: How Decentralized Nurse Stations Shape Communication, Patient Care Processes, and Patient Outcomes

Author(s): Real, K., Bardach, S. H., Bardach, D. R.
This study compared nurse communication using a new decentralized nurse station model in a newly built urban, trauma-1 level hospital with the experiences at the “old” hospital where there was a centralized work space where nurses could easily hear one another and worked in close proximity to each other.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2017

Nursing work and sensory experiences of hospital design: A before and after qualitative study following a move to all-single room inpatient accommodation

Author(s): Donetto, S., Penfold, C., Anderson, J., Robert, G., Maben, J.
The term “embodiment” refers to the experience of living within a human body while conducting daily activities. The authors of this study suggest that empirical investigation of embodiment within the field of nursing has been relatively neglected.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2017

Nursing staff’s experiences of working in an evidence-based designed ICU patient room—An interview study

Author(s): Sundberg, F., Olausson, S., Fridh, I., Lindahl, B.
Intensive care unit nurses use technology and systems that may not have existed when their nursing units were constructed. Nurses often must work around machines and in narrow spaces to deliver complex care to critically ill patients.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2017

Factors Affecting Acoustics and Speech Intelligibility in the Operating Room: Size Matters

Author(s): McNeer, R. R., Bennett, C. L., Horn, D. B., Dudaryk, R.
Previous studies have shown that noise levels within healthcare environments have been increasing steadily since 1960. Noise is a prominent source of discomfort for both patients and staff, and can also interfere with important interpersonal communications.
Key Point Summary
Added June 2017

Identification of Tools and Techniques to Enhance Interdisciplinary Collaboration During Design and Construction Projects

Author(s): Keys, Y., Silverman, S. R., Evans, J.
The design and construction of healthcare environments requires a collaboration of professionals from a variety of backgrounds to produce the best possible results. However, it is not uncommon when these collaborations generate frustrations and miscommunications among the different professionals involved.
Key Point Summary
Added May 2017

Balancing the Human Touch with the Need for Integrating Technology in Ambulatory Surgical Environments: Barriers and Facilitators to Nursing Work and Care Team Interactions

Author(s): Joseph, A., Wingler, D., Zamani, Z.
There is a lack of information to support the design of the rapidly growing number of ambulatory surgical centers (ASCs). These centers have become more popular as trends in reimbursement, technology, and services have evolved. Research is needed to inform how the built environment of ambulatory surgical environments impacts the critical interactions between people, supplies, and equipment.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2017

Examining Relationships between Physical Environments and Behaviors of Residents with Dementia in a Retrofit Special Care Unit

Author(s): Mobley, C., Leigh, K., Malinin, L.
Individuals with late-stage dementia often receive treatment in Specialized Care Units (SCUs) when other nursing home facilities can no longer support their socio-behavioral and physical needs. Generally, SCUs aim to maximize patient quality of life (QoL) by mitigating potential environmental stressors and improving the functional status of the patients themselves.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2017

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of a Mental Healthcare Facility Based on Staff Perceptions of Design Innovations

Author(s): Kalantari, S., Snell, R.
Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is a research method for gathering information on the effectiveness of new architectural designs in healthcare environments. POE can help healthcare providers and designers gauge whether or not a given design is achieving its intended purpose. Since evidence-based designs are becoming more widely implemented in a variety of healthcare environments, POE could prove useful in many different departmental contexts. The authors note that the application of POE in research focusing on mental healthcare facilities is rare, signaling a need for exploration
Key Point Summary
Added February 2017