Hospital design: Blueprints for healing

When people think of hospitals, what usually comes to mind are doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals applying their expertise through medicines, diagnostic tests, and medical procedures to treat patients.

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Less visible, but equally vital, is how hospital design and planning shape health outcomes and influence the experience of patients, families, and staff.

On the week of Aug. 6-12, the country observed National Hospital Week, a reminder of the essential role hospitals play in promoting health. According to architect Alexander Balce, who has designed more than two dozen private hospitals, patient-centered design is not merely about aesthetics. Rather, it is grounded in evidence-based design principles that enhance safety, comfort, and healing. When applied well, these elements foster dignity, efficiency, and emotional well-being for all who enter a hospital's doors.

The COVID-19 crisis underscored how hospital infrastructure must adapt to meet the challenges of airborne disease outbreaks. Mr. Balce noted that hospitals are now being designed with infection control, flexibility, resilience, and staff well-being as core considerations. Key features include enhanced air filtration and ventilation systems to minimize viral transmission; room adaptability that allows spaces to be converted for different levels of care; and separated traffic flows between clean and contaminated hallways to reduce cross-infection.

Also integral are decentralized hand hygiene and PPE zones to improve infection control compliance; modular expansion and surge capacity to manage sudden spikes in patient load; and telemedicine integration to maintain continuity of care while reducing crowding.