M id A tlantic Real Estate Journal — Economic Development — January 31 - February 13, 2020 — 7A
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E conomic D evelopment
By William E. Holloway, AIA LEED AP, Bernardon Happiness by Design: How applying corporate design can enhance the healthcare workplace I n healthcare design, the focus has recently shifted to the needs of health-
83 percent of clinicians, clinical leaders, and healthcare execu- tives view physician burnout as a problem. It’s figures like these that reinforce the need for a new approach to create more efficient workplaces. With healthcare organi- zations seeking to improve employee experience, and employees seeking to improve their well-being, designers are looking to elements of corporate design to improve both. While attending the 2019 Healthcare Facilities Sympo- sium & Expo in Boston, my team and I heard industry ex- perts cite the benefits of apply-
ing corporate design to health- care workspaces. Marberry also lists learning from the corporate environment, such as giving professionals more choice and control, as a means to carry this out – and we at Bernardon agree. One way of doing this is open-concept design. As team-based care becomes more widespread, these open-concept layouts help to keep employees more engaged and connected. At the same time, the private office is becoming more and more ob- solete, and “hoteling”, a trend where a clinician or nurse may occupy a workspace for
a shift and then use a huddle area for a collaborative task, is becoming more common. Incorporating sufficient col- laborative space within the interior design of healthcare facilities will serve to reinforce these new workplace trends. Fluid and flexible, these open-concept layouts will re- quire additional elements to enhance their usability. Ad- justable components and sys- tems that can be reconfigured into different layouts enhances flexibility and also provides a sense of privacy. Popular in corporate office environments, standing-height desks and:
collaborative seating areas allow for a reprieve for nurses who are often sitting, standing up, and walking around during their shifts. Ensuring restful working conditions also carries over to break rooms, where rest is sought after the most. Cre- ating residential-style break rooms through incorporating soothing paint colors, fabrics, and wood finishes serve to cre- ate a home-like atmosphere. Additionally, addressing acous- tics by providing sound-absorb- ing materials in the ceilings and walls can help create a stronger sense of privacy. continued on page 10A
care profes- sionals and their work- s p a c e . A t Bernardon, we have tra- ditionally de- signed with the needs of our c l i ent ,
WilliamHolloway
and ultimately their patients, in mind. However, this para- digm shift reflects the need to improve the workplace condi- tions of the healthcare profes- sional, so that in turn, their patients can benefit as well. Oftentimes, healthcare fa- cilities can be chaotic environ- ments wherein professionals face challenges of adminis- tering effective care within a not-so-effective workspace. Yet, what we see is often just a glimpse into a much larger issue. Those who spend days and nights working in hospi- tals, medical offices, and care centers face the limitations of their workspace on a daily ba- sis. Whether its dealing with spatial issues like overcrowd- ing or lack of resources within the work areas, healthcare professionals often endure less-than-ideal working condi- tions along with the daily chal- lenges of providing optimum healthcare services to patients and residents. We anticipate that health- care facilities will respond to this need and seek to imple- ment design solutions that address both the concerns of the staff and the patients in order to create a healthier, happier environment. More- over, healthcare employers are seeking ways to attract and retain talent, and provid- ing an optimal workspace is surely one of many ways to accomplish this. So, where are designers gathering inspira- tion for these workspace im- provements? It might be con- sidered a surprising source: the corporate office. Applying Concepts from Corporate Design This heightened focus on the healthcare workspace involves taking into consideration the challenges of healthcare pro- fessionals. Healthcare design consultant Sara Marberry has reported that nurses often feel undervalued and more than half suffer from musculoskel- etal pain. Whereas Healthcare Design Magazine shares that
DREAM. DESIGN. SUCCEED.
Philadelphia, PA West Chester, PA Wilmington, DE www.bernardon.com
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