Healthcare architecture can be used to promote holistic care in the following ways:
1. Designing spaces that focus on patient comfort: Healthcare facilities should be designed in a manner that patients find convenient in terms of access to the right medical care and attention. Hospitals and nursing homes should have clear and welcoming entrances and lobbies, easy-to-navigate corridors and walkways, and adequately lit spaces.
2. Promoting access to natural light and outdoor spaces: Research shows that access to natural light and greenery can improve patients’ moods and reduce their stress levels. Incorporating healing gardens, courtyards and parks can help patients recover more quickly, reduce stress and enhance healing outcomes.
3. Incorporating technology: Technology in healthcare architecture can improve patient experience and provide holistic care. Telemedicine, remote health monitoring systems, and interactive patient engagement platforms can help patients access care practically, learn about health conditions, participate in their own treatment, and receive more personal care.
4. Creating community spaces: Healthcare facilities should look at community integration as integral to their holistic care approach. Integrating communal spaces for the patients, families, and the larger surrounding community in the healthcare facility can help promote bonding, encourage socialization, and foster a sense of community.
5. Imparting a sense of calm and comfort: A healthcare facility can be terrifying to patients and their loved ones. It is important to create a calming and comfortable environment that helps foster a sense of peace and security, promotes positivity levels, and reduces anxiety for patients. Such environments may include recliners, comfortable chairs, decorative wall art, colours, and scents that promote relaxation.
Overall, healthcare architecture should focus on promoting healing, comfort, and wellness to improve the patient experience and promote holistic care.
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