Despite these challenges, your first priority should be the patient's comfort and well-being. Patients often are a captive and debilitated audience, powerless to control their environment. Your job will be to act on their behalf, introducing solutions that reduce the risk of infection and put the control of the healing process back in their hands. Design that increases the patient's environmental control and access to natural stimuli, to nurses stations and to medical facts and records is key. Provide for family and visitors.
People heal faster with the support of loved ones.
Comfortable furniture that accommodates overnight visitors without monopolizing floor space lets family members relieve professional staff of some routine items of patient care. Do all you can to reduce hazards and stress when designing for health care staff. Stress levels skyrocket in health care where inattention or small mistakes may cost a life. A functional and uplifting work environment for staff contributes to better patient care and outcomes. Follow the credo that design can heal.