Aesthetics are extremely important, especially within the hospital construction industry.
Not only do you want to make your patients feel comfortable, it can also be a daunting environment for visitors and therefore is just as important to offer them a welcoming and inclusive setting which reassures them their family member or friend (two or four legged) are in good hands during their appointment and/or stay.
There are many ways to create feelings of comfort and security through aesthetics.
Make it Clear:
Taking the time to make sure good signage is included in your new hospital construction can make a big difference.
There is nothing worse than walking into a large building and having to ask five different people where you need to go due to the signage being inadequate.
In a place that is often associated with stress and anxiety we want to make everyone feel welcomed and looked after from the moment they walk in the front door and something as simple as knowing exactly where reception is or having a coloured strip on the floor to follow in order to get to a certain wing can make all the difference.
Personalised Amenities:
If your hospital caters for different types of patients, for example you are seeing patients with severe medical conditions but also offer cosmetic services to others, you may want to separate these areas.
Seperate waiting areas with partitioning and different seating is the easiest way to segregate one group from the other but other items you may not think about straight away such as toilets can add that additional touch of personalisation.
By providing a powder room type feel for cosmetic patients you are giving them a day spa feel whereas patients with more severe medical conditions will appreciate a clean sterile looking environment.
Colours:
We talk a lot about colours and how they can affect moods within medical environments. When picking colours for your new hospital it is advisable that you steer clear of dark colours which may make your waiting or consulting rooms appear smaller and potentially set off feelings of anxiousness or claustrophobia in some patients.
By painting walls and ceilings in light colours, coupled with natural light can make spaces appear bigger which in turn creates a feeling of calm.
Added Extras:
Little added extras can make a bit difference in your waiting rooms so it is definitely something to take into consideration when you are thinking about a new hospital construction.
By providing areas in which visitors who are waiting for patients or patients who are waiting for their doctor can sit and plug in their phone or laptop in gives them the chance to work while they wait.
Within these areas you may also like to provide QR codes that can be scanned in order to provide patients and visitors with information on the services your hospital provides. Sometimes all services that are available are not obvious to everyone so not only are you providing additional information to patients, you are also promoting yourself.
Other distractions such as televisions, music and seperate children areas can make any waiting area a more comfortable space for everyone.
As you can see it pays to put the time and effort into aesthetics. Not only will it make your hospital look great but can also have hidden affects on people as they come and go throughout the day.
.
