Patient Clothing as a Healing Environment: A Qualitative Interview Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Design
• Patient Experience
• Psychology in Medicine

Background:

• Patient emotional well-being is crucial in healthcare settings, comparable to medical technology.
• Hospital identity (HI) elements are utilized in patient clothing design, particularly in university hospitals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how hospital identity (HI) elements in patient clothing patterns affect patients' emotional responses.
• To determine if specific pattern design elements can be optimized for patient healing.
• To gather patient feedback on clothing design for healing.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative approach using in-depth interviews with 12 discharged patients from Kyung Hee University Hospital Medical Center.
• Interviews explored emotional responses to the hospital environment, current patient clothing, and healing design suggestions for patterns using HI elements.

Main Results:

• Motif characteristics, arrangement, spacing, and directionality in pattern design significantly influenced positive emotions.
• Patient clothing incorporating HI elements with healing design characteristics provided perceived stability and comfort.
• The design of patient clothing acts as a medium for institutional branding and enhancing patient-centered healing services.

Conclusions:

• Tailoring patient clothing design with specific HI elements and healing-focused patterns can positively influence patient emotions and contribute to healing.
• Effective patient clothing design enhances the patient experience, providing comfort and stability.
• Patient clothing design serves a dual purpose: reinforcing institutional identity and improving the quality of care through a focus on healing.