Healing Environments: What Design Factors Really Matter According to Patients? An Exploratory Analysis

The main aim of this research was to identify the impact of design characteristics (DCs) of a patient room on self-reported patient well-being.

This knowledge enables the construction of healing environments focusing on DCs that maximize well-being. Six themes were identified in literature that create healing environments: spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, sensory comfort, privacy, and social comfort. We wondered what themes and associated DCs should be prioritized if needed to maximize well-being.

The physical environment of patient rooms in four hospital locations was measured and patients who stayed in these rooms were asked to evaluate the room design on above mentioned themes and its contribution to their well-being. We used a machine-learning technique and regression analysis to find relations between the physical environment of a patient room and patient well-being.

We found that spatial comfort, safety and security, autonomy, and associated DCs have the strongest ability to influence patient's self-reported well-being in a patient room. Privacy appears to have the smallest influence.