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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 81 - 100 of 469

Acuity-adaptable patient room from the patient’s perspective

Author(s): Bonuel, Nena
It has been shown by several studies that acuity-adaptable rooms have a positive effect on patients’ satisfaction and health outcomes. These rooms can adapt to the patient’s changing condition at any acuity level, eliminating the need for transfer during the entire hospital stay.
Key Point Summary
Added April 2018

Through the Eyes of the User: Evaluating Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Design

Author(s): Denham, M. E., Bushehri, Y., Lim, Lisa
Premature babies require special care in neonatal intensive care units (NICU). This could take on average 80 days and would include the presence of the mother for proper infant development.
Key Point Summary
Added March 2018

Noise Reduction in Progressive Care Units

Author(s): McGough, N. N. H., Keane, T., Uppal, A., Dumlao, M., Rutherford, Wendy, Kellogg, K., Ward, E., Kendal, C., Fields, W.
Added March 2018

“Everything Happens in the Hallways”: Exploring User Activity in the Corridors at Two Rehabilitation Units

Author(s): Colley, J., Zeeman, H., Kendall, E.
This research study focused on recording activities occurring in corridors of a Spinal Cord Injury Unit and a Brain Injury Unit and how the design of the corridor influences the activities affecting patients and staff experience. The study results focused on three factors: mobility/movement, delivery of care and experience of that care, and finally “spillover space” activities (activities occurring in the corridor other than mobility/movement).
Key Point Summary
Added February 2018

Safety, Performance, and Satisfaction Outcomes in the Operating Room: A Literature Review

Author(s): Joseph, A., Bayramzadeh, S., Zamani, Z., Rostenberg, B.
There are many operating rooms (ORs) constructed more than 30 years ago that remain operational today, and many of these spaces are inadequately designed to withstand the processes, equipment, and people needed for contemporary OR procedures. Even in developed countries, patients undergoing inpatient surgeries experience major complications 3-22% of the time.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2018

The Role of Environmental Design in Cancer Prevention, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Survivorship: A Systematic Literature Review

Author(s): Gharaveis, A., Kazem-Zadeh, M.
Approximately 1.6 million new cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. New techniques for treating cancer are constantly being developed, with many healthcare professionals and designers turning towards more patient-centered services and designs to achieve better patient outcomes.
Key Point Summary
Added February 2018

Acoustic environments of patient room in a typical geriatric ward

Author(s): Jerlehag, C., Lee, P. J., Park, S. H., Jones, T., Carroll, N.
Previous studies have thoroughly demonstrated the harmful effects of background noise within healthcare environments; one study found that high levels of background noise disrupted patient sleep cycles, while even higher levels of noise led to elevated heart rates among nurses.
Key Point Summary
Added January 2018

Sleep in intensive care unit: The role of environment

Author(s): Boyko, Y., Jennum, P., Nikolic, M., Holst, R., Oerding, H., Toft, P.
Several previous studies have linked abnormal, often-disrupted patient sleep patterns to impaired immune system function and various detriments to cognitive performance. Patients receiving treatment in an intensive care unit (ICU) are often subjected to several variables that can easily disrupt their sleep patterns, such as light, noise, frequent therapeutic procedures, and the patient’s illness or injury itself. Previous studies concerning ICU patient sleep quality largely involved qualitative data from patient-answered questionnaires and typically did not involve populations of severely ill ICU patients.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Systematic review of the effects of intensive-care-unit noise on sleep of healthy subjects and the critically ill

Author(s): Horsten, S., Reinke, L., Absalom, A. R., Tulleken, J. E.
Added December 2017

Comparing average levels and peak occurrence of overnight sound in the medical intensive care unit on A-weighted and C-weighted decibel scales

Author(s): Knauert, M., Jeon, S., Murphy, T. E., Yaggi, H. K., Pisani, M. A., Redeker, N. S.
The loss of sleep, poor quality of sleep, and circadian misalignment experienced by patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are attributed to a multitude of factors – physiological, psychological, and environmental. ICUs are characterized by loud noises that disrupt a patient’s ability to sleep.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Feasibility of noise reduction by a modification in ICU environment

Author(s): Luetz, A., Weiss, B., Penzel, T., Fietze, I., Glos, M, Wernecke, K. D., Bluemke, B., Dehn, A. M., Willemeit, T., Finke, A., Spies, C.
Noise can adversely affect sleep quality, which is important to the recovery of ICU patients. Two ICU rooms in a German hospital were re-designed with the objective of reducing noise. The authors conducted a study wherein they examined the impact of these modifications on sound pressure levels (SPL) in these rooms.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Impact of a novel interventional platform and hospital design on the door-to-balloon time in patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction.

Author(s): Poulin, M.-F., Appis, A., Purim-Shem-Tov, Y., Schaer, G. L., Snell, J.
A “heart attack” is usually identified among cardiologists as an “ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction”. Fast and effective care is a necessity when treating patients suffering from heart attacks, and the unit of measurement used by hospital administrators and cardiologists to gauge how long a patient has been inside the hospital before receiving heart attack treatment with a catheter guidewire or “balloon” is called “door-to-balloon” or DTB time.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Occupancy and patient care quality benefits of private room relative to multi-bed patient room designs for five different children's hospital intensive and intermediate care units

Author(s): Smith, T. J.
Added December 2017

A Comparison of Sound Levels in Open Plan Versus Pods in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Author(s): Ramm, K., Mannix, T., Parry, Y., Gaffney, M. P.
Noise in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) can be a primary factor for stress for preterm infants, their family, and staff. High sound levels can potentially harm sensorineural systems of the infants. Literature shows that low background sounds are crucial to neurological development of preterm infants.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Patients’ Perspectives on the Design of Hospital Outpatient Areas

Author(s): Zhao, Y., Mourshed, M.
More and more designers and other stakeholders are emphasizing that the design of healthcare facilities need to be informed by patient perspectives. Authors indicate that even though the intent in the architecture and construction industry is to incorporate patient-centered design, there is little research reflecting the perspectives on the design factors in healthcare facilities.
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Lighting assessment of ergonomic workstation for radio diagnostic reporting

Author(s): Leccese, F., Salvadori, G., Montagnani, C., Ciconi, A., Rocca, M.
Diagnostic imaging involves traditional radiology, computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Each of these procedures involves assessment, planning, execution, reporting, and verifying results. Present-day technology involves the processing of images by computer software. Reporting involves viewing these images on diagnostic monitors. While the authors contend that there...
Key Point Summary
Added December 2017

Environment in pediatric wards: Light, sound, and temperature

Author(s): Oliveira, L., Gomes, C., Bacelar Nicolau, L., Ferreira, L., Ferreira, R.
Sleep is crucial to the well-being of humans, especially so for the recovery of those undergoing treatment or recuperating in hospitals. The authors cite studies that allude to the relevance quality of sleep has on health, neurodevelopment, generally, and to immune functioning and healing in patients.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2017

The Influence of the Physical Environment on Residents With Dementia in Long-Term Care Settings: A Review of the Empirical Literature

Author(s): Chaudhury, H., Cooke, H. A., Cowie, H., Razaghi, L.
Several studies have shown that properly designed interior spaces have a positive effect on residents with dementia in long-term care facilities. Wayfinding and orientation can be enhanced through good planning of the facility as well as activities of daily living and autonomy.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2017

Impact of single room design on the spread of multi-drug resistant bacteria in an intensive care unit

Author(s): Halaby, T., al Naiemi, N., Beishuizen, B., Verkooijen, R., Ferreira, J. A., Klont, R., vandenbroucke-Grauls, C.
Previous studies have explored how intensive care units (ICUs) can foster cross-contamination of hospital-borne pathogens, and how isolating contaminated patients, coupled with the promotion of hand hygiene procedures, can mitigate the frequency of these contaminations. Various environmental factors, frequent invasive procedures, and instances of under-staffing have been identified as causes for higher levels of cross-contamination in ICUs. Further research is needed to explore whether or not the use of single-patient rooms themselves can help mitigate cross-contamination in an ICU. Through a retrospective study, the authors of this paper explore the long-term persistence of multi-drug-resistant gram-negative (MDR-GN) organisms within an ICU, even while extensive infection control precautions were place.
Key Point Summary
Added November 2017

An experimental model to measure the ability of headphones with active noise control to reduce patient’s exposure to noise in an intensive care unit

Author(s): Gallacher, S., Enki, D., Stevens, S., Bennett, M. J.
Added November 2017