Hospital Building Designs and Plans
The United States is currently in the midst of an unprecedented health care building boom, with a projected $180 billion investment in new hospital construction expected in the next five years. A similar trend is being observed internationally. The key drivers for this boom in the United States include aging facilities (built in the 1950s and 1960s) that no longer support efficient and safe care delivery; advances in treating childhood diseases; rapidly emerging technologies that fundamentally change care delivery processes; and the growing importance of patient- and family-centered care. Most importantly, the heightened focus on improving patient, environmental, and workforce safety and quality has increased the need to create optimal physical environments. A growing body of research shows that there is a strong link between the design of health care settings and outcomes experienced by patients, staff, and families. There is mounting recognition that risks and hazards of h