The business case for better buildings.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Design
• Health Services Research
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Healthcare facility design significantly impacts patient experience and outcomes due to the stress of illness.
• Historically, "healing environments" were built with philanthropy, but evidence of their superiority over conventional designs was limited.
• A need existed for more data on the impact of innovative healthcare facility designs on patient well-being and organizational performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of innovative healthcare facility designs on patient outcomes, experiences, and financial performance.
• To present evidence supporting the business case for investing in optimal healthcare building designs.
• To synthesize findings from "Pebble Projects" into a composite "Fable Hospital" model.

Main Methods:

• A research collaborative of healthcare organizations and The Center for Health Design initiated "Pebble Projects" in 2000.
• Projects involved three-year evaluations of new healthcare buildings using comparative research instruments and outcome measures.
• Data from various projects (hospital replacements, critical care units, cancer units, etc.) were synthesized.

Main Results:

• Evidence indicates that the incremental costs of optimal facility design are repaid through operational savings and increased revenue.
• Better building designs contribute to substantial, measurable, and sustainable financial benefits for healthcare organizations.
• Optimal healthcare facilities can lead to better, safer, and less wasteful healthcare delivery.

Conclusions:

• Investing in improved healthcare facility design is financially prudent and yields significant returns.
• Innovative healthcare building designs are a key component of enhancing healthcare quality and efficiency.
• The business case for "better buildings" in healthcare is supported by measurable financial and operational benefits.