5 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR HEALTHCARE FACILITIES

If you are looking to plan a new healthcare facility or renovate and existing one of any scale, we invite you to give some thoughts to these five design considerations. In SCF’s experience, applying these recommendations during design can boost satisfaction of the users after occupancy.

1. Diverse patient population

When we prepare layouts, it’s important to expand our visualization of a patient. We as architects have a debt to minorities to design and consider all types of disabilities and social economic variables when thinking about user’s needs.  Recognize that not all patients interact with spaces in the same way and take into consideration the communities that facilities serve.

2. Mixed environments

Healthcare settings should provide a variety of furnishings and adaptable settings that cater to a large range of privacy requirements. Provide value to the healthcare experience, lower anxiety of a visitor, and improve recovery times by integrating exterior and interior auditive and visual positive distractions.

3. Simple wayfinding

Make navigating a healthcare facility as straightforward as possible, especially for new visitors. Identifying areas by use of color, materials, or a theme allows the architecture to lead patients to places instead of having them to consume time asking for directions.

4. Staff welfare

Retaining healthcare professionals goes hand in hand with providing them with places of refuge from noise, mental decompression, and exercise. Also, bring into your design team consultants to help medical staff with tech solutions that make their job more efficient and reduce mistakes.

5. Consumption of resources

As we plan, design, and receive the input of electrical and mechanical consultants, take bold actions to mitigate the footprint that the healthcare industry leaves in its community by reducing amounts of energy and water consumed throughout the facility.