(ALL IN THE UNITED STATES PLEASE)
- Facility design changes as rapidly as the health care industry. Facility design is heavily affected by current and future health care trends. Two additional drivers in facility design have been the evolution of medicine and the technology within the medical environment. This assignment is designed to provide you with an opportunity to see the impact of historical and current trends within facility design.
Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper regarding two historical trends that have had an impact on facility design. Your paper should:- Identify two trends that have affected facility design.
- Describe how each of the two trends looked 50 years ago.
- Describe how each of the two trends have evolved into their current state.
- Explain the reasons each of the two trends have changed.
- Describe any future trends we might expect to see in facility design.
- Also include Ambulatory Surgical Centers:The course will focus on ambulatory surgical centers.
- Describe the current trend of ambulatory surgical centers.
- Cite at least 5 reputable references used to complete your assignment. One reference must be from the journal/magazine listed in the weekly resources (i.e., Modern Healthcare, Healthcare Design). Reputable references include trade or industry publications, government or agency websites, scholarly works, or other sources of similar quality.
Expert Solution Preview
Introduction:
Facility design in the healthcare industry is an ever-evolving field that is heavily influenced by historical and current trends. As a medical student, it is essential to understand how facility design impacts patient outcomes and quality of care. This assignment aims to explore two historical trends that have had an impact on facility design, their evolution into the current state, and future trends. Additionally, we will also discuss the current trend of ambulatory surgical centers and cite reputable references that aid in understanding the concepts.
Answer:
Two historical trends that have impacted facility design are the Flexner report and hospital standardization. The Flexner report highlighted the need for medical schools to improve their curriculum and teaching standards, which led to the closure of substandard schools. This, in turn, produced well-educated physicians who could provide quality medical care. The report also led to the creation of a standardized curriculum, which ensured that medical students had a similar educational experience regardless of the school they attended. In terms of facility design, this led to the creation of hospitals with basic infrastructure, such as operating rooms, recovery rooms, and patient wards, which provided a standardized care environment.
Hospital standardization was the second historical trend that influenced facility design. This trend brought about the creation of regulations and standards, which aimed at ensuring quality patient care and safety. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) was created to oversee hospital accreditation and ensure compliance with minimum standards. Hospital designs had to include features such as handwashing stations, fire exits, and patient privacy accommodations, to mention a few.
Over time, these two trends have continued to evolve to meet the changing needs of healthcare. Currently, the trend in facility design is focused on patient-centered care and patient outcomes. We are seeing a shift to designs that are explicitly meant to improve patient experiences such as single-patient rooms, lighting, noise control, and furniture design that enhance patient comfort.
The future of facility design will include more technologically advanced equipment and tools such as virtual reality, telemedicine, and artificial intelligence, to mention a few. Healthcare facilities will also be built with a significant focus on sustainability, which will include access to renewable energy and minimal waste production.
Turning to ambulatory surgical centers, there is an increasing trend towards performing day surgeries in outpatient settings. This is driven by changes in reimbursement policies, technological advances in surgical techniques, and the growing need to reduce healthcare costs. Ambulatory surgical centers offer a higher patient satisfaction rate, lower infection rates and are cost-effective compared to in-patient surgeries.
In conclusion, facility design is an essential aspect of medical practice that plays a significant role in patient outcomes and quality of care. Understanding the historical and current trends in facility design helps medical students to recognize the impact of healthcare delivery and provides a foundation for future innovations.
