Medical Construction & Design

MAY-JUN 2017

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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MCDM AG.COM | M AY/ J U N E 2017 | Medical Construction & Design 23 in operation for a few months. The fi rst phase studied the patient and staff needs and inves- tigated a set of options matched to everyday activities, spaces and operations. Essential for Hopeway Foundation, a regional nonprofi t, was selecting lighting choices within their budget. They were interested in examining options and making informed decisions, but needed to take a conserva- tive fi scal approach. Of equal importance was an informed consent among Hopeway staff on the practical, everyday value of the lighting design after the facility opened. To meet these priorities, we opted for a two-part research initiative. First, we looked at their needs, patient routines and characteristics, circulation, family and visitor comfort, staff routines, etc. This helped us fi nd and recommend solutions to meet aspirations without added construction cost. Second, post occupancy in- terviews after the facility is open for a few months will survey the staff experience with the LED lighting program. Changes to timing, controls and color pal- ette, for example, can be made if needed, and the lessons learned in post-occupancy applied on other projects. Positive light in more places With constantly changing tech- nology and clients' need for more objective evidence on its use, direct research and investigation by designers is more important than ever. Dr. Eve Edelstein, with degrees in architecture, anthropology and a Ph.D. in neuroscience, directs the Human Experience Lab at Perkins+Will. Her research and longtime col- laboration with scientists across multiple disciplines reveal how design measurably infl uences human experience, cognition, health and well-being. Dr. Edelstein noted that "while researchers have proven the link between circadian rhythm and wellness, the inte- gration of what we know from biology and physiology is not always translated to lighting design." Among the opportunities she sees is providing better lighting and better health outcomes to hospital staff whose shifts are spent in nursing stations, emer- gency rooms, radiology depart- ments, pharmacy, etc. "We need to look at who spends the most time in unnatural lighting," she says. "These spaces rarely have windows or access to daylight. That is an area of need we can improve by either bringing more daylight to them or using LED lighting creatively." She also sees the benefi t of layering the lighting design to allow both ceiling-based and in- dividual-based controls to meet a variety of circumstances, since the same space is often used in multiple ways, from heads-down computer work to team collabo- ration and conversation. An additional benefi t of individual control is to address eyesight diff erences among staff . "Some of the standards for visual acuity in lighting design are set on the basis of a 20-year-old employee, when we know that the healthcare workforce age in 2017 is averaging in the 40-plus range." Making decisions on lighting is a complex and ever-changing responsibility for healthcare cli- ents. We must admit there is still a lot we need to know, particu- larly as the thinking shifts from one-size-fi ts-all lighting design to a more individual and biologi- cal approach. As science on cog- nitive health and environmental response by patients and staff translate to best practices, it is urgent to research, educate and ultimately help clients navigate these life-altering decisions. Kevin Turner, AIA, LEED AP, is a principal in the Charlotte, North Carolina offi ce of Perkins+Will. Carti: Hedrich Blessing/Nick Merrick; Cherry Hospital: Mark Herboth; Hopeway: Monica Slaney 1.800.428.4065 TOLL FREE www.willoughby-ind.com V Behavioral Healthcare Lavatory Healthcare Fixtures That Last! © 2016 Willoughby Industries Inc. e Fixtures That Last! Conceived to minimize ligature points for behavioral healthcare environments. Engineered with a 1,000-lb. ZHLJKWUDWLQJDQGVSHFLÀF features for bariatric patients in healthcare environments. Fabricated from all-welded 14-gauge type 304 stainless, these sinks come in a variety of FRQÀJXUDWLRQVZLWK²VWDWLRQV BHS-3123 WBL-2320 Stainless Steel Scrub Sinks V V Infection Control Lavatory 'HVLJQHGVSHFLÀFDOO\WR minimize splashing and reduce the spread of infectious disease. CSA Z8000 compliant! WICS-2222 EWSSS Now we're even easier to specify! Bariatric Healthcare Lavatory V » ,QIRUPDWLRQVKHHWVDQG5(9,7ÀOHVDUHDYDLODEOHDWZLOORXJKE\LQGFRP thcare Lavator y WS SS

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