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
Making the Case for Evidence-Based Design in Healthcare: A Descriptive Case Study of Organizational Decision Making
2010
Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 4
Pages 56-88
Author(s): Shoemaker, L.K., Kazley, A.S., White, A.
It is reported that an approximately 98,000 people die each year in the United States as a result of medical errors (IOM, 1999). This is unacceptable in a country that prides itself on the best medical institutions and access to the highest-end technology. It is believed that the need to renew currently standing hospitals is due to a combination of aging buildings, aging populations, and introduction of new technologies (Ulrich, 2004). This has led to a large patient safety movement and the largest hospital construction boom in U.S. history (Jones, 2004).
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
Network of Spaces and Interaction-Related Behaviors in Adult Intensive Care Units
2014
Behavioral Sciences
Journal Article
Issue 4
Volume 4
Pages 487-510
Author(s): Rashid, M., Boyle, D. K., Crosser, M.
Using three spatial network measures of “space syntax”, this correlational study describes four interaction-related behaviors among three groups of users in relation to visibility and accessibility of spaces in four adult intensive care units (ICUs) of different size, geometry, and specialty. Systematic field observations of interaction-related behaviors show significant differences in spatial distribution of interaction-related behaviors in the ICUs.
Added November 2015
Comparative Analysis of Hospital Energy Use: Pacific Northwest and Scandinavia
2014
HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 8
Pages 20-44
Author(s): Burpee, H., McDade, E.
Today, operational hospitals in the United States consume an enormous amount of energy. This study is an outgrowth of previous research evaluating high-quality, low-energy hos pitals that serve as examples for new high-performance hospital design, construction, and operation.
Added May 2015
Return on investment of a LEED platinum hospital: the influence of healthcare facility environments on healthcare employees and organizational effectiveness
2014
Journal of Hospital Administration
Journal Article
Author(s): Harris, D. D.
The author mentions that there is increasing evidence that indicates the connection between facility design and staff satisfaction. In comparison, there are few rigorous studies that examine the impact of sustainable building design and outcomes pertaining to patients, staff, and organizational goals.
Added November 2014
A controlled evaluation of comprehensive geriatric assessment in the emergency department: the ‘Emergency Frailty Unit’
2013
Age and Ageing
Journal Article
Author(s): Conroy, S. P., Ansari, K., Williams, M., Laithwaite, E., Teasdale, B., Dawson, J., Mason, S., Banerjee, J.
Referring to data from emergency departments (EDs) in England, the authors infer that as the number of elderly grow, so does their number attending emergency departments. The data also shows that almost 62% of seniors (80 years and over) visiting EDs in England are transferred to hospitals for further treatment. Literature indicates that such transfers result in increased use of resources, higher risk of adverse events, longer stays, and higher rates of readmission and use of long-term facilities.
Added November 2014
Quality of life and building design in residential and nursing homes for older people
2004
Ageing and Society
Journal Article
Issue 6
Volume 24
Pages 941-962
Author(s): Parker, C., Barnes, S., McKee, K., Morgan, K., Torrington, J., Tregenza, P.
Older people living in residential and nursing care homes spend a large proportion of their time within the boundaries of the home, and may depend on the environment to compensate for their physical or cognitive frailties. Regulations and guidelines on the design of care buildings have accumulated over time with little knowledge of their impact on the quality of life of building users. The Design...
Added September 2014
Effectiveness of a multifaceted intervention on falls in nursing home residents
2003
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
Journal Article
Issue 3
Volume 51
Pages 306–313
Author(s): Becker, C., Kron, M., Lindemann, U., Sturm, E., Eichner, B., Walter-Jung, B., Nikolaus, T.
Older people are particularly susceptible to falls and fractures due to mobility limitations and physical instability. Falls and fractures commonly result in functional deterioration, increased medical costs, and increased burden for all involved in the care setting. Attempts to prevent falls and reduce fall and fracture incidence rates both at home and in long-term care facilities span from educational interventions to adjustments of medication intake to environmental adaptations.
Added March 2014
The impact of adverse patient occurrences on hospital costs in the pediatric intensive care unit
2001
Critical Care Medicine
Journal Article
Issue 1
Volume 29
Pages 169-174
Author(s): Dominguez, T.E., Rene, C., Costarino, A.T., Jr
Added October 2012
