Interprofessional Simulations to Inform Perioperative Facility Planning and Design

Area of Science:

• Healthcare design
• Medical simulation
• Human factors engineering

Background:

• Designing effective perioperative spaces is crucial for efficient healthcare delivery.
• Traditional design feedback methods often occur post-construction, limiting design adjustments.
• Incorporating end-user input early in the design process is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the utility of interprofessional simulations in a mock-up perioperative space.
• To gather end-user feedback for optimizing perioperative space design.
• To assess the impact of user-centered design modifications on satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• A life-sized styrofoam model of a perioperative unit was constructed.
• Medical professionals and staff participated in workflow simulations and provided feedback.
• The model was modified based on feedback, and a second round of simulations was conducted.

Main Results:

• Participant feedback led to significant modifications in the perioperative design.
• Mean design satisfaction scores increased from 3.61 ± 0.49 in round 1 to 3.78 ± 0.41 in round 2 (p=0.02).
• The quality of feedback varied depending on the type of interactive session.

Conclusions:

• Interprofessional simulations in mock-up spaces effectively elicit valuable end-user feedback.
• This method allows for design improvements that are difficult to achieve post-construction.
• User-centered design through simulation enhances perioperative space functionality and satisfaction.