A literature review and interviews with architects, designers, academics, and health care executives were conducted between February and May of 2005, in an attempt to determine if associations exist between hospital building design elements and patient and staff safety, health outcomes, and patient and staff satisfaction levels. The findings were used to bring focus to the challenges of evidence-based hospital design and the roles that funders might play in the development and transfer of knowledge related to the constructed hospital environment.
Select to download a print version of the full report (PDF File, 700 KB). PDF Help.
Acknowledgments
Summary
Chapter 1. Introduction
Chapter 2. Methodology
Literature Review
Informant Interviews
Chapter 3. Background
Chapter 4. What is Currently Driving the Market for Hospital Design and Construction?
Chapter 5. Are Hospitals Requesting Evidence-based Design?
Chapter 6. What is the Research Base for the Hospital Built Environment?
Patient Outcomes
Patient Satisfaction
Patient Efficiency
Patient and Staff Safety
Staff Efficiency
Staff Satisfaction
Summary of the Research Base for the Built Environment
Chapter 7. What are the Major Challenges in Building the Field of Evidence-based Hospital Design?
Insufficient Resources in Conducting Evaluations of the Built Environment
Provider Input
Information Sharing
Laws and Regulations Regarding Hospital Design
Capital Costs of Evidence-based Design
Chapter 8. Where are the Gaps in Current Research and Areas for Future Focus
Patient Privacy and Confidentiality
Patient Safety and Environmental Factors
Staff Health, Safety, and Performance
Chapter 9. What are Appropriate Future Roles for Funders in Advancing Evidence-based Hospital Design and Architecture?
Funding Empirical Research
Transferring Evidence-based Research Output to Decisionmakers
References
Tables
1. Summary of articles by main topic and source
2. Response results by key informant group
3. Articles by study design and key topic
Figures
1. Study design
2. The status of the research scorecard related to reduce staff stress/fatigue
3. The status of the research scorecard related to patient safety and quality of care improvement
Appendixes
A: Key Informants Interviewed
B: Organizations with Staff Expertise in the Built Environment
C: The Built Environment—Determining AHRQ's Niche Interview Protocol
AHRQ Publication No. 05-0106-EF
Current as of October 2005
Internet Citation:
The Hospital Built Environment: What Role Might Funders of Health Services Research Play? Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD. AHRQ Publication No. 05-0106-EF, October 2005. http://www.ahrq.gov/qual/hospbuilt/
Return to Medical Errors & Patient Safety
Quality Assessment
AHRQ Home Page
Department of Health and Human Services