Interior design criteria for successful hospital patient rooms

Abstract

In this study, the design requirements of hospital acute-care patient rooms, which support the recovery and well-being of the patients, are examined. Patients' psycho-spatial needs which may be complementary to the healing effects of the medical treatment and the necessary design requirements related to the room activities are mentioned. With respect to the patients' comfort, hospital stress factors, social interaction, visual and acoustical privacy concerns, considerations related to the patients' need of personalization of space, sense of control, and the other sensory issues are discussed. Furthermore, medical care delivery requirements and the activities which affect the design are explored. In this sense, requirements related to the size and layout of the patient rooms, furniture, accessibility for physically impaired persons, color selection and natural and artificial lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and materials are discussed. Finally, general design criteria for providing successful patient care in hospital rooms are pointed out.