Art and Healthcare - Healing Potential of Artistic Interventions in Medical Settings

Abstract

Abstract. The stereotype of a machine for healing seems to be well rooted in common thinking and social perception of hospital buildings. The technological aspect of healthcare architecture has been influenced for several years by three major factors. The first is linked to the necessity of providing safety and security in the environment of elevated epidemiological risk. The second concerns the need for incorporating advanced technology required for medical equipment and building infrastructure. Finally, the third relates to Cartesian dualism in medical sciences. Fortunately, healthcare architecture of 21st-century is in the process of dynamic transformations resulting from the change in approach to patients. The holistic perspective gradually enters into medical sciences, and as a result a patient is perceived as a human being whose needs are discussed on three equally important dimensions: biological, social and psychological. The new trend has influenced the design process of contemporary hospitals. One can observe a turn from the primacy of medical technology over environmental conditions towards the balance between medical requirements and psychological and social needs of hospital users. The research on the impact of hospital environment on therapeutic process gave rise to a new trend of incorporating arts into the space and form of medical facilities. Both architecture and interior design details are more carefully negotiated in terms of aesthetics. Designers expand the possibilities of exhibiting visual art in functional and spatial arrangement. The initiatives introducing artistic objects, installations and activities into medical spaces aim at increasing the efficiency of medical services, transforming the image of sterile hospital architecture and introducing high quality public space. These interventions generate the impact both on micro and macro scales and they concern several fields of activity and forms of art. The paper presents the scope of possibilities for introducing art into contemporary medical spaces and discusses the influence of selected solutions incorporating artistic interventions on healthcare users.

Evaluation of Medical Staff Satisfaction for Workplace Architecture in Temporary COVID-19 Hospital: A Case Study in Gdańsk, Poland

“…Burnout is a threat to the intensive care profession, which is why it is very important to reduce harmful factors in the work environment [33]. Such possibilities are offered by the architecture that, through the appropriate organisation of the space of the temporary hospital, is able to reduce the occurrence of hospital-acquired infections [34,35] and improve the well-being of medical personnel [36][37][38].…”

Healing Applications in Hospital Interiors: Ceramic Art

“…Fortunately, the healthcare architecture of the 21st century is in the process of dynamic transformations resulting from a change in the approach to patients. The holistic perspective is gradually influencing medical sciences and as a result, patient needs are discussed in three equally important parameters: biological, social, and psychological (Awtuch & Gębczyńska-Janowicz, 2017). In this respect, it can be said that both in the fields of architecture and interior design, importance is given to aesthetic-related details, and interest as a specialty has increased.…”

“…The selection of artworks to be used in patient rooms and specific areas where medical practices are carried out requires the utmost care and attention. The use of artworks/objects in the interior design of areas with the lowest risk of infection in the hospital (general spaces such as waiting rooms, and communication rooms) is quite common (Awtuch & Gębczyńska-Janowicz, 2017).…”

“…In other words, a healthy environment that promotes healthy living can contribute to the healing process by creating a supportive physical and social environment. Such environments aim to promote a sense of well-being, reduce stress, and fatigue, and develop a sense of hope and a positive attitude in patients (Awtuch & Gębczyńska-Janowicz, 2017). In addition, the inclusion of artistic performances and activities in the healthcare experience and its implementation in medical settings is frequently found in the literature with positive outcomes.…”

“…Initiatives that bring artworks/objects, installations, and events into medical spaces aim to increase the efficiency of medical services, transform the image of sterile hospital architecture, and define and expand high-quality public spaces (Awtuch & Gębczyńska-Janowicz, 2017). However, it is seen as a necessity to set standards for art, which can be considered an integral part of health.…”