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SPOTLIGHT PATIENT ENTERTAINMENT From passive entertainment to positive distraction New technology-enhanced patient hospital room is home away from home A mother-baby room at Virtua Voorhees in Voorhees, N.J. The family area includes multiple types of seating and work surfaces, as well as a wall of glass. munications and entertainment technology is now part of the new normal, so is said technology fast becoming a part of the patient's hospital stay. The pediatric room s healthcare consumers become more discerning, healthcare providers are becoming more competitive. As more treatment modalities become outpatient services, fewer patients require hospital stays. As severely ill patients who require long-term stays seek out the best care and accommodations, they're turning to hospitals that combine expert staff and treatment in comfortable settings that closely resemble home. In short, the days of double patient rooms with a shared bath, a flimsy curtain separating the beds and TVs broadcasting only network stations are over. In today's hospitals, patient room design focuses on enhancing the patient experience in a variety of ways: with private, sunlit and comfortably furnished rooms; with zones that accommodate family members, the patient and staff and with multi-purpose technology that entertains and educates. The overall concept is to positively distract the patient from illness and worries, by providing all the comforts of home — including instant access to the movies, TV shows, games, social media networks, Internet searches and communications enjoyed in daily life. Just as com- Pediatric hospitals often accommodate children from pre-school age through teenagers. As such, the design of these facilities may include lounges where adolescents can relax on couches and watch movies together, or participate in Wii or Xbox activities. Other rooms may be dedicated to art, music or movement therapy. The private patient rooms, in order to meet the needs of these diverse patients and their families, have three zones to provide the patient with the same socialization opportunities and activities enjoyed at home. The family zone is usually located next to a large picture window, with views to gardens, bird feeders and landscaping features. This zone includes a kitchenette and table for preparing and eating snacks or dinner, and for doing homework. The furnishings also include a sleeper sofa for parents' overnight stays, and a desk with Wi-Fi access so parents can work in the room. Such accommodations also allow parents to remain engaged in the caregiving process, to lighten the load for staff. The patient zone is centered around the bed. Customdesigned, wood-paneled headwalls provide space for patients to stow and recharge personal items, including iPads and smartphones. At the opposite end, flat-screen A 16 Medical Construction & Design | January/February 2013 TODD MASON/HALKIN PHOTOGRAPH By Christine Guzzo Vickery and Dennis Vonasek www.mcdmag.com