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dardized design centered on what will be needed in the next 10 to 20
years to improve how surgery is performed.
What will that forward-thinking design include?
New designs for ambulatory surgery should be flexible and adaptable
to accommodate changes in procedure types as well as technology
and equipment that will be used. Increased standardization along with
modular and plug-and-play designs will allow for a range of proce-
dures and adaptations over time. Forward-thinking designs will
include well-organized layouts that allow for efficient workflows. Any
good OR design should also focus on reducing clutter and improving
cleanability through material, storage and equipment selection.
Are new building projects intended to provide patient-cen-
tered care?
There's certainly more of a focus on improving the overall patient
experience from the waiting area to discharge, and the perioperative
path is being designed to create a linear and more efficient flow. But
new facilities are also being designed to improve how physicians and
staff work and feel. We're looking at creating mobile nurse stations, so
circulators can position themselves to have the best views of the ster-
ile field. We also want to incorporate natural light into the OR. Nurses
and surgeons often arrive in the dark during the early morning hours
and leave in the evening after a long day of surgery. Working in a win-
dowless room all day is unhealthy and we want to change that dynam-
ic.
OSM
Dr. Joseph (anjalij@clemson.edu) is the chair in architecture+health design
and the director of the Center for Health Facilities Design and Testing at
Clemson University School of Architecture in Clemson, S.C.
