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The design of health care facilities has a direct impact on the experience of care for patients and families. Design can facilitate or hinder effective communication among patients, families, and health care professionals. It also shapes the attitude and practices of staff. Architects, interior designers, and other design professionals can use the principles and strategies of patient- and family-centered care to improve the built environment and thereby contribute to improve outcomes, greater safety, higher satisfaction, and cost efficiencies.

The design planning process should be collaborative-involving patients, families, administrators, physicians, and staff across all disciplines and at all levels. The patient and family experience of care should be integral components of a health care facility's vision, philosophy, definition of quality, and should influence the planning process, the design, and the allocation of space for both new construction and for renovations.

Alberta Children's Hospital Read More

The Calgary Health Region included families and patients in the planning of this new facility. A family leader served on the project's steering committee. CHR sought input from not only parents of patients, but also from the patients themselves. One young person involved in the process insists, "The entire architectural structure is completely different from the original plan just because of what the kids wanted."

Tour Alberta Children's Hospital as part of our October 2008 intensive training seminar. Learn more.

Profiles of Design

Patient- and family-centered principles, processes, and approaches are both supported by and expressed in health care environments. Read More