Exploring the Association Between the Healthcare Design Elements and Physician Well-Being: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Environmental psychology
• Occupational health
• Healthcare design

Background:

• Physicians experience significant burnout and low job satisfaction.
• The built environment's influence on general well-being is established, but its specific impact on physicians is under-researched.
• Understanding this relationship can guide the design of healthier work environments for physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review evaluating the association between built environment elements and physician well-being.
• To identify key environmental factors and their impact on physician mental health and job satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Scoping review of Scopus and PubMed databases.
• Keywords included environmental design, physician terms (e.g., doctor), and well-being outcomes (e.g., burnout).
• Included studies measured both built environment factors and physician well-being.

Main Results:

• Sixteen studies were included, primarily from outside the United States.
• Excessive noise emerged as the environmental variable most consistently linked to physician well-being.
• Factors like lighting, furniture, and art were associated with satisfaction, but direct links to well-being were often unclear.

Conclusions:

• The impact of environmental factors on physician well-being is significant yet understudied.
• Standardization of research methodologies is crucial for robust findings.
• Evidence-based design principles are needed to improve physician well-being through environmental modifications.