Designing human-centred healthcare spaces

Healthcare spaces differ significantly from other interior environments, with unique spatial, functional, and regulatory requirements. Our goal in designing these spaces is to create an atmosphere that fosters healing while ensuring safety and functionality for patients and staff alike.

Ensuring safety and functionality

Key factors we consider include maximizing natural light, ensuring safety, managing noise, maintaining privacy, and using colour in ways that positively affect both patients and staff.

• Access to natural light: Natural light plays a vital role in promoting well-being and recovery. Strategically placed windows and light sources help reduce stress and create a welcoming atmosphere.
• Privacy and acoustics: Balancing openness with privacy is essential in healthcare settings. We carefully consider materials and layouts to enhance sound privacy and support patient confidentiality.
• Infection control: A big focus for us is on preventing the spread of infection, so material choices are really important, and we also need to think about how the space will be cleaned. During the planning stages, we consider how people move through the space to reduce the risk of cross-contamination. For example, staff and patient pathways are often separate to prioritize infection control, safety, and privacy. Because of this, clear wayfinding is critical to reduce confusion and stress for patients. Thoughtful layouts and material choices help to prevent cross-contamination. By creating separate paths for staff and patients, we enhance both safety and infection control.
• Accessibility: Accessibility is also considered more broadly than just meeting the minimum code requirements, especially since patients and staff may have specific mobility or cognitive needs that require extra thought in the design.

As healthcare is constantly evolving, it's also important to design with the future in mind—whether that means accommodating growing space needs or planning for potential future health crises like pandemics.

Understanding healthcare providers' needs

At Holland, we take a thoughtful and open-minded approach to every healthcare project we undertake. We take the time to really listen to our clients to understand their priorities and needs, while drawing on our own experience and knowledge. When designing healthcare spaces, the key priorities we focus on are functionality, patient and staff experience, and adaptability.

Our process includes:

• Gathering workflow information: We examine daily workflows and movement patterns to streamline the flow of both patients and staff, reducing stress and enhancing efficiency.
• Site visits and user interviews: When possible, we visit existing facilities to observe current processes and identify areas for improvement. Interviews with staff and patients provide valuable insights into what’s working and what needs refinement.
• Incorporating trends and research: Staying up-to-date with the latest research and design trends allows us to bring fresh ideas and innovations to each project, ensuring our designs are informed, adaptable, and forward-thinking.

In the programming phase, we look closely at workflow patterns to make sure the space allows for smooth, efficient movement. Whenever possible, we visit existing sites and chat with user groups to learn about areas that need improvement, as well as what’s already working, so we can incorporate those insights into the new design. We also stay up-to-date on the latest research and trends, which helps us guide the conversation toward new possibilities and ideas that might work well for each client. To really understand the needs of healthcare providers, we kick things off with collaborative discussions early on. Throughout the design process, we refine concepts and ideas based on feedback to make sure the final design not only meets their functional needs but also aligns with their overall vision.

Overcoming challenges in healthcare design

Designing a healthcare environment comes with some significant challenges. Navigating the complex regulations and standards can be tough, especially while trying to meet client needs and stay within budget. Some of the common challenges include:

• Regulatory compliance: Healthcare design requires compliance with strict standards. We strive to meet these requirements while maintaining a welcoming, comfortable environment.
• Balancing openness and privacy: Natural light is important, but it can compromise privacy. Using materials that balance transparency and acoustic control helps us achieve both openness and confidentiality.‍
• Ensuring accessibility: Accessibility features, like power door operators, are essential but often come at a high cost. Our team works with clients to find budget-friendly solutions that support inclusivity.

Our goal is to strike a balance between functionality and aesthetics to create spaces that promote wellness, but that’s not always easy when there are limited material options that also meet cleaning requirements. On top of that, maintaining patient privacy, ensuring both patient and staff safety, and creating a sense of openness, comfort, and community can be a delicate balance. For example, while using glazing to bring in natural light can be great, it can also reduce visual and acoustic privacy. We use the best available products and technologies to help strike that balance.

Technology is always changing, and figuring out how to incorporate it into healthcare design in a way that complements the space is another challenge. Then there’s accessibility—making sure we meet the required standards and that spaces are comfortable for everyone. This can mean more space is needed for both rooms and circulation. Certain features, like power door operators, are essential for accessibility, but they can come with a high price tag, which may impact the client’s budget. However, these are crucial for ensuring as many people as possible can access the space.

Supporting healthcare workers’ well-being

Healthcare workers’ well-being is central to our design philosophy. By creating environments that support their needs, we aim to improve both their job satisfaction and the level of care they provide. Some of the ways we design for healthcare worker well-being include:

• Flexible workspaces: Incorporating sit/stand desks, ergonomic furniture, and private phone pods allows healthcare staff to work comfortably and efficiently.‍
• Social spaces: Casual, collaborative areas for team interactions help foster community and alleviate stress. We believe that a supportive work environment is crucial to a positive workplace culture.

Flexibility and choice are key to creating an environment that truly supports healthcare workers. Our goal is to focus on things like maximizing natural light, offering social spaces for casual and collaborative conversations, and designing ergonomic workspaces that help with focus and privacy. Furniture plays a big part in this, too. For example, sit/stand desks help with ergonomics and well-being, phone pods provide privacy for Telehealth calls or personal appointments, and lounge furniture groupings create spaces for socializing or a change of scenery for work.

Contemporary trends in healthcare design

The trend of focusing more on staff wellness and their experience within a space while performing their jobs is exciting for us! When staff are well cared for and supported, they’re able to provide better care for patients. Bringing in elements of hospitality to healthcare spaces benefits both staff and patients by making the environment more comfortable, creating a better experience, and supporting emotional well-being.

On-stage/off-stage model of care

We're also a big fan of the on-stage/off-stage model of working, as it really helps with the dynamics between physicians and patients. By grouping workspaces together, staff can collaborate more easily between appointments and have better access to natural light. Separating areas for patient interaction from staff-only spaces allows healthcare providers to collaborate and recharge in a dedicated area while providing patients with a seamless, calming experience. Having separate doors for patients and staff to enter and exit clinic rooms also increases safety.

Integrated technology

Finally, we're excited about how integrated technology can make a huge difference. It helps reduce paper usage and the need for storage space, making charting more efficient and giving staff easier access to files when everything is stored digitally instead of in distant physical locations.

Get in touch with us!

We’re driven by a commitment to create healthcare spaces that are as comforting as they are functional. By focusing on the human experience, we design environments that support healing, encourage well-being, and embrace innovation for the future of healthcare. If you’re interested in learning more about designing human-centred healthcare spaces, or want to explore how our human-centred approach can benefit your workplace team and culture, get in touch with us!