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HEALTHY DESIGNS
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By
Christine Imbs
There’s an old saying that some remedies are worse than the
disease. If you’ve ever been admitted to a hospital you might
agree. But today healthcare environments are changing. What
once fueled patients’ anxieties is now contributing to their
well-being.
Historically, hospitals have been designed with the provider
in mind—very functional and very aseptic. Unfortunately for
the patient, it was also downright scary. But recent studies
have shown that environmental design choices—lighting, soothing
colors, comfortable furniture, water features, aroma, artwork,
and spa-like amenities—have a powerful therapeutic effect on
patients. And hospital designers are taking note.
“It only makes sense when you think about it,” says Mike Pukszta,
principal of Cannon Design. “If you’re going into a hospital
for a procedure there is a high-level of anxiety. But if you
walk into a space that’s comforting and somewhat familiar, your
anxiety level drops. What they’re finding is that this decreases
patient recovery time and the need for pain medications. So
what we’re now trying to do is design a more normalized environment
to increase patient comfort level.”
Pukszta is currently designing a new expansion at Saint Anthony’s
Medical Center for their procedural areas. Their goal is to
create a space that alleviates anxiety the minute a patient
enters the building.
“Instead of being confronted with healthcare technology and
other scary things, they’ll see a large, beautiful garden space
with plenty of light. And at the tip of the garden area will
be a receptionist to welcome them,” he comments. “Entering such
a friendly and comforting space creates a greater level of confidence
that they will be well cared for and there’s no need to worry.”
Of course when it comes to healthcare environments, Pukszta
says one size does not fit all. It’s very specific to the type
of patient using the facility and their particular needs. Two
very different examples are the Lawrence and Idell Weisberg
Cancer Center at the Detroit Medical Center and the Center for
Advanced Medicine, a joint project of Washington University
School of Medicine and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Where one design
is very warm and fuzzy, the other is slick and modern. But both,
says Pukszta, are healing environments focused on the patient’s
comfort and expectations.
“The Detroit cancer center feels more like a high-end lodge.
We did this because in Michigan most people vacation within
the state in these small cabins on the lakes. It’s all very
woodsy and lodge-like,” he explains. “So we took something they
associated with pleasant experiences to design that facility.”
At the other end of the spectrum is the Center for Advanced
Medicine which houses the region’s most modern surgicenter and
a comprehensive multidisciplinary cancer center. It’s a 14-story,
glass-fronted building with a distinctly high-tech look. Pukszta
says part of the inspiration here came from the reputation of
the partnering institutions.
“BJC is one of the top hospitals in the country and Washington
University is one of the top medical schools. This is where
the very best medical care and technology resides. This being
the case, patients coming here are some of the sickest in the
country,” he explains. “So when they walk into this building,
it’s very modern and high-tech, because that’s what these people
are here for. It’s what they expect. So for them, this is the
healing environment that’s most beneficial.”
The TomoTherapy Center at SSM DePaul Health Center houses the
first TomoTherapy unit in Missouri. Unlike traditional radiation
treatment, this $3 million unit can direct the radiation to
very specific areas within the body generating better results
for the patient. Still, that’s little comfort to a patient sitting
in the waiting room. Neal Fister, principal of The Lawrence
Group, designers of the facility, says increasing patient comfort
levels while getting the best possible care was the main goal
when designing the facility.
“State-of-the-art healthcare technology is important, but it
doesn’t have to be scary,” he comments. “We selected all of
our materials and finishes to create a comfortable soothing
space. Soft lines, warm finishes and cove lighting help make
this a welcoming place.”
Also designed by The Lawrence Group is the $1.3 million renovation
of The Breast Center at St. John’s Mercy Medical Center. It
is the only completely digital breast care facility in St. Louis
and provides mammograms, biopsies and breast ultrasounds in
a distinctly spa-like environment. Becky Egan, senior designer
and project manager, says their goal was to introduce the healing
power of nature into the space.
“Initially, the plans called for a lot of straight lines and
long corridors, but we were able to soften that a bit,” she
says. “We also referenced nature throughout the facility in
the artwork and with a wall fountain behind the reception desk.
Even the color scheme was taken from a picture of a sunset that
the client brought in. So it’s all very soothing much like a
spa. There’s even a complimentary juice bar.”
Of course this trend in healing environments isn’t totally focused
on the patients. In all areas of healthcare today we’re facing
an incredible staffing shortage. Hospital staffs are doing more
and are being stretched further than they’ve ever been. Creating
environments that support them is important not only to maintaining
and recruiting valuable staff, but to helping them provide better
care.
Also important to patient care are the families. With noninvasive
procedures requiring no hospitalizations and hospital stays
growing shorter, family members are becoming an integral part
of a patient’s recovery.
“The whole idea of waiting room time doesn’t exist anymore,”
says Fister. “Family members want to be with the patient constantly
to see what’s going on. They want to be involved. So we’re taking
that into consideration and providing comfortable areas for
them as well. And because they also want to be informed, resource
centers with medical libraries and Internet connections where
they can do research are also becoming a big thing.”
Pukszta says he sees the hospital design trend breaking into
three very different healthcare environments—inpatient, retail,
and diagnostic and treatment areas.
“The inpatient environment is becoming more Ritz-Carlton-like
or Westin- like in its quality level,” he says. “It’s very focused
on taking care of people—the patient, the staff and the family
members. On the other hand, the retail environment is geared
toward convenience.”
Much like store-front retail, Pukszta says this type of environment
is quick and easy. If you need something done you can stop in,
see a doctor, maybe pick up a cappuccino and then leave. Diagnostic
and treatment facilities, however, are more focused on large,
highly technical pieces of equipment so these spaces are almost
factory-like in their designs.
“That’s because technology is always changing,” explains Pukszta.
“An MRI has a shelf life of three to five years. Then you buy
a new one that bigger and more powerful. It’s like the Ford
factory changing its model line every year. You almost need
that kind of environment at a hospital.”
The
Art of Healing: St. John’s Heart Hospital
by Christine Imbs
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Like
architecture and interior design, the artwork that surrounds
us on a daily basis influences the way we feel. And at the
new St. John’s Heart Hospital in Creve Coeur, they’re using
artwork as a natural way to promote health and well-being.
“There are numerous studies that prove the recovery time
for patients and the use of pain medication decreases if
you create a sensory environment,” says Diana Spellman,
president of Spellman Brady and Company, a local design
firm and artwork consultant for the Heart Hospital. “St.
John’s has a vision to provide a total healing environment.
Visual art is one of the key aspects of delivering medicine
in such an environment.”
Over 600 pieces of artwork were carefully selected and hung
throughout the Heart Hospital including metal sculptures,
photographs and paintings by artists such as Jon Michael
Route, Cindy Wrobel, Larry Kanfer and Jane Sterritt. Each
piece offers positive distracters to patients and their
families thus creating a comfortable and tranquil setting
more conducive to health and healing. Spellman says it’s
something St. John’s CEO Denny DeNarvaez was adamant about.
“I worked very closely with St. John’s administration, but
Denny definitely had a very strong influence,” she says.
“The whole Feng Shui process was extremely important to
her. And she’s right on track in terms of creating a sensory
environment. If you look around, you’ll see that all of
the artwork projects a feeling of hope and light. This greatly
improves patient outcome.”
Spellman says a project the size of the Heart Hospital typically
takes anywhere from 18 to 24 months. However in this case,
she was brought in four months prior to the facility’s opening.
“We did an extremely fast-track comprehensive solution in
a very short time frame,” she comments. “It was challenging.
But when it all came together it was very rewarding.” |
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