The integrated and evidence-based design of healthcare environments

Abstract

The design of healthcare facilities is a complex and dynamic process, which can be supported by design support models. This process involves a large number of stakeholders, of whom some have specific health-related needs. Evidence-based design is an emerging approach for the design of healthcare facilities, basing design choices on scientific data. Apart from the problems accompanying the limited access to, and limited availability of, scientific evidence, the design of a building itself is characterised by dimensional, technological and stakeholder complexities that are derived from technology philosophy. This article deals with the derivation of performance indicators and design solutions for healthcare facilities and links this search to the foundations of evidence-based building. The In2Health design model is elaborated as a framework to steer this process and support architects, programmers and process managers. The applicability of the model in the evaluation and design processes of buildings is illustrated by two case studies concerning (i) the evaluation of the indoor environment for older people with dementia and (ii) the design process of the redevelopment of an existing hospital.

An explorative study of the beliefs of staff of psychogeriatric nursing homes regarding the use of dynamic lighting systems

“…Building services engineers and lighting designers could use these insights to their own benefit, i.e., the adequate design of homelike luminaires, or providing recommendations to nursing home organisations on how to integrate DLS in daily routines. This would fit within the trend towards evidence-based design of healthcare facilities [15].…”

Real Estate for the Ageing Society – the Perspective of a New Market

“…This complexity increases when the design process concerns buildings for specific user groups, such as older people (with dementia) as discussed in this paper. This complexity stems partly from the interdisciplinary character of the design process, involving a multitude of professionals that work together in creating a building or that are responsible for the design, construction, operation and maintenance of the building over time ( VAN HOOF et al 2015). All of these professionals contribute their own expertise to the design process, and, in this contribution, operate mainly within the limitations of what is known and familiar to them.…”

“…The design, operation and maintenance of health care facilities are particularly complex, as criteria are constantly evolving ( VAN HOOF et al 2015). Discussions about the importance of the built environment for delivering health care extend at least as far back as Hippocrates (400 BC) (CODINHOTO et al 2009).…”

The Conceptualization of Value in the Value Proposition of New Health Technologies Comment on "Providing Value to New Health Technology: The Early Contribution of Entrepreneurs, Investors, and Regulatory Agencies"

“…In the delivery of healthcare services and technologies, the patient should be the focus of attention. Van Hoof et al, 2 Holtkamp et al, 3 and van Hoof & Verkerk 4 have come up with various frameworks for the incorporation of technology philosophy in order to help identify and map the needs of patients (and other stakeholders) within different user contexts. Such frameworks, however, do not deny the complexity of the intertwined world of stakeholder needs.…”