Current trends in health facility planning, design, and construction

It is critical now more than ever for today's healthcare facilities to serve as more than just a backdrop to the care provided--they can, and should, be an integral part of that care. In addition to promoting efficacy, delighting the senses, and placing patients and families at ease, facilities need to be high-performing, sustainable, and healthy environments. Creating today's healthcare facilities requires breaking through barriers in unexpected ways, and it often requires looking outside the healthcare profession for guidance. In this article, we explore current trends in health facility planning, design, and construction. Our focus is on the buildings that serve as venues for the provision of healthcare services across the full continuum, from prevention to critical care. In particular, we discuss four current broad trends and conclude with thoughts on future developments.