Studies have found that hospital room upgrades, such as big windows and hotel-style amenities, can actually accelerate rehabilitation.
In truth, when we do have to visit a hospital, we don’t expect to find “good design.” All patient rooms tend to have the same sterile atmosphere. However, architects are starting to include simple hospital room upgrades. These improvements have led to happier patients, quicker recoveries, and fewer accidents on the whole.
Test out these hotel room upgrades in your healthcare facility, and you’re likely to see similar results:
Let There Be Light
In one published study, researchers found that “patients with [a] tree view” had quicker recoveries. These patients also took less medication and had fewer medical issues. So, be sure to install that big picture window, and plant a few trees while you’re at it.
Singles Only
Sharing a suite is great in college but troublesome in a hospital setting. Research shows that “patients sharing rooms provide doctors with less critical information.” It’s no surprise that privacy is a top priority for most hospital patients.
Ease of Use
For many patients recovering from surgery, getting around can be a challenge. So, as part of their hospital room upgrades, some designers have placed sinks beside the bed. In addition, rooms now have handrails along the walls and convenient drug dispensing devices.
The Finer Things
If we all prefer staying in hotels as opposed to hospitals, it makes perfect sense to design patients’ rooms to look and feel more like hotel suites. As with the other hospital room upgrades, a little goes a long way. Therefore, improve your patients’ experiences with:
By investing in these simple hospital room upgrades, you increase your patients’ chances of a speedy recovery. And, of course, shorter hospital stays means fewer costs. In the end, picture windows and high-quality hospital robes are worth the investment.