➀ DISTRACT THE PATIENT
Offering the patient an iPad
or another visually enticing
interactive device during a
stressful procedure reduces
anxiety, which can translate
to reduced brown-fat intake
and more accurate scans.
➁ ALTER THE ANTICIPATED
EXPERIENCE Transform the
waiting room and change a long
wait into a pause. Current waiting
rooms make people nervous and
restless as the wait gets longer,
whereas a moment’s rest boosts
energy levels and promotes
relaxation. The outcome is
a more receptive patient and
a less strained consultation.
➂ KEEP IT SHORT
Everything in a hospital is
aimed at keeping the stay as
short as possible. After all, the
duration of the time away from
home influences the speed
of recovery. ‘Short’ is a word
that also applies to wayfinding
inside the building, for patients,
visitors and medical staff. A
wayfinding design that benefits
pedestrian flow is essential.➃ USE DAYLIGHT TO HEAL
Daylight is crucial to the healing
process. The architects of
most new-build hospitals pay
attention to the orientation of
patient rooms, which should
face west. Direct daylight has a
positive effect on the wellbeing
of physicians and visitors.➄ STIMULATE THE SENSES
Replace static lighting with
dynamic lighting. Experts
on hospital design are
convinced that people thrive
in environments in which light,
image, sound and touch merge
to form a holistic experience.➅ MAKE IT PERSONAL
Adaptive healing rooms
with highly intuitive user
interfaces help patients to
create soothing environments
tailored to personal needs.➆ REDUCE STRESS
Children who have to undergo
an MRI scan are often less
anxious when their favourite
cuddly toy goes into the ‘tunnel’
with them. Stress reduction also
provides a more accurate scan
and thus better treatment.➇ PROVIDE SUPPORTIVE AIDS
Integrated ‘reading rooms’
engage medical professionals
in meaningful discussions
on the next generation of
technology-enabled healthcare
environments. How can
such spaces be designed to
stimulate team interaction
and collaboration?Private lounges help surgeons
to relax between operations in
a reality-like environment that
features family photos, living-
room acoustics and artificial
daylight.➈ FACILITATE
COLLABORATION
Healthcare is a co-creative
field based on patient-
centric thinking. Facilitating
cooperation among patients,
relatives and clinical teams is
important. Healing that occurs
in such a climate should be
supported by service provision
and consumer thinking.HOW TO SUPPORT HEALING
As senior creative director at Philips Design
Healthcare, Jos Stuyfzand works on the
optimization of hospital environments.138 HEALTHCARE