Healthcare facility design has been revolutionary, with public and private health organizations investing significantly in operational efficiency for seamless and reliable services. Consequently, these changes in design have had significant positive implications on nurse practitioners’ operations and the quality of care by optimizing workflow(Jaušovec & Gabrovec, 2023). Although exploring the changes at a granular level presents many advancements, integrating technology in the healthcare system and the inception of the patient-centered model are vital historical trends that primarily reflect the developments.
Fifty years ago, technology was significantly limited in the healthcare space, and operations were majorly manual, with paper documentation and analog diagnosis procedures that hindered efficiency in operations. Since every process was manual, the workflow was significantly slow and characterized by critical inefficiencies in the management of patient information, which hindered quality patient care(Vatandsoost & Litkouhi, 2019). Besides, simple activities required many people to accomplish, implying an unfavorable workload that demoralized and demotivated professionals. With such practical gaps in service delivery, there was a need to integrate innovations in healthcare facility design.
The healthcare system has witnessed compelling digitization, integrating innovative tools that seek to eliminate redundancy and operational backlogs of the analog health facility design. Healthcare facilities are using information database management systems to capture, manage, and store data(Vatandsoost & Litkouhi, 2019). It is easy to retrieve patient data, explore their medical history, and make informed decisions on managing their condition. Also, technology has created an opportunity for virtual healthcare service through telemedicine, reducing facility overcrowding and increasing service delivery efficiency. Furthermore, innovation has availed high-quality diagnostic and treatment equipment that ensures that health practitioners can objectively assess patient conditions and adopt evidence-based treatment practices(Jaušovec & Gabrovec, 2023). Thus, the shifting of the healthcare facility design through technology has created a workplace environment where professionals can optimally deliver their services through diverse digital tools.
The current digital healthcare design reflects technological advancement, medical research, and the drive toward operational efficiency in the healthcare environment. With innovations, technocrats have developed digital tools that can identify and resolve challenges in the healthcare environment(van Houwelingen et al., 2024). Besides, disciplinary research has helped identify how technology can be applied in the health sector, building a background for digitalizing health services. All these drivers have supported a digital healthcare facility design that is highly reliable in driving efficiency.
I have relatives with chronic non-communicable diseases, and I have witnessed the power of digital health services through their reliance on telemedicine. With virtual communication and wellness applications, my relatives can remotely consult healthcare professionals who monitor and guide them accordingly without a physical visit. Thus, I witness that digital healthcare facility design is integral to optimal and reliable care services.
Similar benefits are evident with the contemporary patient-centered care model that positions the patient as a critical stakeholder in service delivery. In the past 50 years, the health sector has been focused on health practitioners and building their capacity for a knowledgeable and skillful workforce. The stakeholders also focused on availing resources for growth and development. Patients were passive in design activities, with insignificant focus on their attitude, feelings, and perspective of the healthcare organization’s operations, and assessments of the healthcare services were focused on volume rather than quality and reliability. For private healthcare organizations, the focus was mainly on business and profitability.
However, the contemporary healthcare facility design is based mainly on patients’ values, preferences, and quality of care. In this model, healthcare professionals significantly focus on addressing an individual patient’s needs rather than the entire population(Edgman-Levitan & Schoenbaum, 2021). Healthcare facilities embrace designs that accommodate hospitality, empathy, kindness, and holistic patient care. Generally, organizations realize that their value and profitability relate to the capacity to resolve individual challenges and, thus, the focus on patients.
The patient-centered model reflects the need for holistic patient care that empowers patients while accommodating their preferences and aligning operations to industry trends. With this model, professionals understand that they are responding to patients’ psychological, physical, and social needs rather than just providing physical treatment, thus delivering holistic care. Besides, healthcare organizations are adopting this approach for competitive advantage because patients consider getting services from facilities beyond medications by humanely offering services(Jaušovec & Gabrovec, 2023). I have witnessed this trend in modern health facilities, considering the operational culture and structure often accommodating my views to enhance the quality of services. Thus, the patient-centered operational model is a compelling trend in the healthcare system.
With the dynamic technological advancements and pressure to build operational efficiency, the revolution of healthcare facility design will continue. The sector will experience further multidisciplinary efforts for operational efficiency optimization, where different design stakeholders, including engineers, technocrats, and policymakers, to mention a few, will continue collaborating to shape the healthcare environment(Vatandsoost & Litkouhi, 2019). Innovative healthcare operations employing technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and machine learning are apparent trends(van Houwelingen et al., 2024). Besides, the personalization of patient services will continue, and facilities will continue investing in personalized rooms and experiences for optimal efficiency in service delivery. Generally, the healthcare facility design will continue experiencing diverse trends that seek efficiency and service delivery optimization.
The ambulatory surgical centers are shifting to an operational design that assures cost-effectiveness and convenience. Adopting and implementing outpatient surgical services in some facilities has ensured that professionals can deliver care services without physical presence(Pace et al., 2023). Besides, studies have highlighted the substantive focus on the center’s safety, operational efficiency, and patient comfort, with better structures than before(Edgman-Levitan & Schoenbaum, 2021). Generally, these centers have a continuous improvement trajectory, with efforts to realize patient-based designs and enhance efficiency.
Technology integration and patient-centered models depict trends that have occurred over time, positively affecting the current approach to healthcare and presenting a compelling future for facility design. In the last 50 years, facilities focused on development without addressing operational efficiency and patient needs. However, the facilities are currently adopting technology and shifting to a more patient-centric operational model to spur productivity and reliability. Overall, these positive changes will continue, and the future of healthcare design is compelling, specifically in achieving quality patient care through efficiency.
References
Edgman-Levitan, S., & Schoenbaum, S. C. (2021). Patient-centered care: Achieving higher quality by designing care through the patient’s eyes. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-021-00459-9
Jaušovec, M., & Gabrovec, B. (2023). Architectural Evaluation of Healthcare Facilities: A comprehensive review and implications for building design. Buildings, 13(12), 2926. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13122926
Pace, D., Hounsell, C., & Boone, D. (2023). Ambulatory surgery centers: A potential solution to a chronic problem. Canadian Journal of Surgery, 66(2). https://doi.org/10.1503/cjs.008022
van Houwelingen, T., Meeuse, A. C. M., & Kort, H. S. M. (2024). Enabling nurses’ engagement in the design of Healthcare Technology – Core Competencies and Requirements: A qualitative study. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 6, 100170. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2023.100170
Vatandsoost, M., & Litkouhi, S. (2019). The future of healthcare facilities: How technology and medical advances may shape future hospitals. Hospital Practices and Research, 4(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.15171/hpr.2019.01
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