Designers and planners should use a range of tools to capture input from patients and families to create a tailored approach that responds to their unique needs.
The idea of capturing the voice of patients and families is important when designing pediatric facilities. Many patients cannot advocate for themselves, so providing strategies for the voice of the patient to be heard is essential to strong planning.
By creating a tailored planning process, design teams can apply different research tools to sensitively capture feedback, including advisory councils, online surveys, town halls, mock-ups, and other interactive methods.
Several recent pediatric facilities successfully have customized their planning around the patient and family perspective. To learn how Gillette Children’s, Cedars-Sinai Guerin Children’s, and Children’s National Hospital did it, read the full article in Healthcare Facilities Today.
About the Authors
Mezio Zangirolami, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP, is a pediatric planning principal at HGA.
Erin Labrec is a medical planner at HGA.