Designing Healthcare Spaces To Be More Inclusive

Humanizing healthcare environments can improve both patient and staff wellbeing and is an essential consideration in the design of healthcare spaces.

Often, though, hospital designs might cater to the needs of patients but overlook the need for a safe and rejuvenating workplace that serves its staff too.

A research report on the topic of Design Matters for Nurses: Hospital Design For Nurse Attraction And Retention (HASSELL with University of Melbourne, May 2016) states:

“Aesthetics and maintenance of a workplace serve as a daily reminder of the value their employees place on their work. Nurses have identified a number of environmental qualities that affect their daily work experience, including temperature, noise, odor and color, but the main factors were access to natural light and maintenance.”

The report also notes that nurses often complain about the general lack of space away from patient work.

“The underestimated value of staff may be more significant than hospital management perceives, commented Michaela Sheahan, senior design researcher at HASSELL in a recent comment piece for Indesign magazine. “But this can be rectified with a renewed focus on the hospital as a workplace, as well as a place to treat patients.”

For instance, creating comfortable areas for meal breaks could provide relief from the high-intensity work that hospital staff members have to face every day. Outdoor dining areas for staff members can bring about a sense of enjoyment around mealtimes, creating a substantial distinction between work and break areas.

Dedicated spaces for documentation tasks with proper ergonomic support could help reduce strain and fatigue. Even the inclusion of large windows that bring in natural lighting could help impact patient healing and staff wellbeing.

Another emerging trend is using biophilic design principles to craft a more soothing indoor experience. Think improved ventilation, acoustic comfort, enhanced natural lighting, external natural views and the use of natural materials, patterns and colours.

By humanizing healthcare spaces through biophilia there is potential to empower patients, aid recovery, reduce stress and improve the emotional wellbeing of staff, in turn creating a more helpful, healing environment.

A timely example is the Royal Adelaide Hospital, designed by Silver Thomas Hanley in a joint venture with DesignInc. Planned around landscaped courtyards, the hospital has been conceptualized as a park within a hospital.

Perhaps it is worth exploring the idea of design that caters to both the patient and members of staff within a healthcare facility. It is, after all, in a healthcare organization’s best interests to have a happy and healthy team who love coming in to work and are fully invested in their duties.

 

Source: Architecture & Design

This Will Impact Florida Healthcare For Years To Come

Advancements in technology, changes in legislation and the expansion of ambulatory care are changing the face of healthcare across the U.S.

Florida’s healthcare industry is experiencing a major shift as real estate prices rise and proposals for new facilities continue to pop up since the elimination of the Certificate of Need rules. Healthcare industry leaders will discuss these issues at Bisnow’s upcoming South Florida Healthcare Real Estate Event on Aug. 8.

As of July 1, Florida healthcare facilities are no longer required to obtain a Certificate of Need from the state before beginning construction. Jackson Health System Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President Don Steigman says he has already seen the impact on construction.

“There has already been a plethora of planned expansion in the ambulatory arena,” Steigman said. “Hospitals, physician practice groups and other healthcare providers have begun placing a greater emphasis on the outpatient side of care, giving communities access to free-standing emergency rooms, urgent care centers and group practices.”

Bisnow spoke to Steigman to learn more about what this change means for the future of healthcare in Florida and to get a preview of what he will be speaking about at Bisnow’s South Florida Healthcare Real Estate event.

Bisnow: Why is Bisnow’s upcoming South Florida Healthcare Real Estate event so important to you and what will you be speaking about?

Don Steigman: Since the elimination of the Certificate of Need rules, hospitals can be opened in Florida without the state having to approve the need for new hospitals. These healthcare facilities will still go through a licensing process, but they won’t have to prove that there’s a need in a community to build a facility.  This is a huge change that will impact the landscape of healthcare real estate in Florida for years to come.

Bisnow: Can you tell me a bit about what you do at Jackson Health System?

Steigman: I’m the chief operating officer for Jackson Health System. I’m responsible for the day-to-day operations of our hospitals, support services and ambulatory services, including our outpatient facilities and urgent care centers. Additionally, I’m responsible for the strategic growth of our operations.

Bisnow: What is the most pressing issue currently impacting healthcare real estate in South Florida?

Steigman: Right now, I believe it’s the challenges that come with aligning the real estate values in South Florida with the income that will be produced by these new healthcare enterprises. There are tremendous economic pressures placed on healthcare facilities and these pressures, combined with rising real estate value in South Florida, are limiting the feasibility of some proposed new healthcare projects.  On a more positive note, the healthcare real estate market is growing throughout all of Florida and I believe there will be many opportunities for new ambulatory healthcare facilities to open in cities across the state.

Bisnow: Outside of your work, what are you most passionate about?

Steigman: When I’m not working, I enjoy reading, running and going on hikes. I’m also on the board of my local chapter of The Liver Foundation.

 

Source: Bisnow

Healthcare Professionals, Investors Key In On Dallas-Fort Worth

Dentists, optometrists, physicians and even veterinarians are opening practices in Dallas-Fort Worth at a rapid rate.

Among metropolitan areas, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington experienced the largest numeric growth not only from 2017 to 2018 (131,767) but also from 2010 to 2018 (1.11 million).

Dallas and Fort Worth are now the ninth and 13th most populous US cities. The 2018 total populations were 1.345 million and 895,008 respectively.

Migration, both domestic and international, as well as natural influx contributed to the growth in each of these areas, with natural increases serving as the largest source of population growth in Dallas and domestic migration serving as the largest source in Phoenix, according to the US Census Bureau.

Tarrant County was ranked eighth from 2017 to 2018 (27,463) and sixth from 2010 to 2018 (274,276) among cities including Arlington, Fort Worth and Grand Prairie. Fort Worth was ranked third among the top 15 cities with populations of 50,000 or more that had the largest numeric increase from 2017 to 2018 (19,552), according to Xite Realty.

Collin County experienced the fourth largest numeric growth from 2017 to 2018 (33,753) nationwide. Cities in Collin County include Allen, Carrollton, Frisco, McKinney, Plano and Richardson. Frisco and McKinney were ranked 10th and 13th respectively among the top 15 cities with populations of 50,000 or more that had the largest numeric increase from 2017 to 2018, says Xite.

With healthcare demand creating added opportunities, investors are clamoring to get in on the action. And late last month, HR Acquisition of San Antonio Ltd. did just that with its purchase of Magnolia Medical Tower in Fort Worth for an undisclosed price.

Private real estate investment firm Ridgeline Capital Partners purchased the 89,990-square-foot medical office building located in the Fort Worth Medical District three years ago. Ridgeline renovated the lobby and common areas in 2017, helping to increase its occupancy and rental rates.

The six-story building was built in 1985 and is located adjacent to the Baylor All Saints Medical Center, with access to Cook Children’s Medical Center, Texas Health Harris Methodist Hospital Fort Worth and Plaza Medical Center of Fort Worth. The building has a well-rounded tenant mix including primary care, oncology, orthopedics, cardiology, urology, OB/GYN, neurology and pain management.

“The building has no use restrictions while offering a lower rent than other on-campus MOBs in the area,” Jeff Axley, Ridgeline’s managing principal, tells GlobeSt.com.

JLL’s Healthcare Capital Markets Group brokered the sale on behalf of Ridgeline.

“This property is very well-situated in the Fort Worth Medical District, and we hope the new owners continue to enjoy the success we have experienced,” Axley says.

 

Source: GlobeSt.