Medical Construction & Design

NOV-DEC 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 | NOV EMBER / DECEMBER 2017 | Medical Construction & Design 25 targeted and essential to what defi nes a healthcare organization and its success. In design terms, that philosophy translates to a holistic approach tailored to each healthcare organization's culture. Yet there are some es- sentials that should be part of every well-being strategy. For example, the impor- tance of connections to nature cannot be overstated. Studies have shown that views to na- ture can reduce stress, improve concentration and boost job satisfaction. Spaces such as terraces, balconies and court- yards, which provide access to nature, are even more desir- able because they also function as areas for recharging or quiet contemplation. Physical activity is also key. Thus, features ranging from interconnecting stairs to dedi- cated fi tness rooms all play a part in a truly comprehensive well-being approach. And ergonomic elements, such as sit-to-stand desks, fully adjustable ergonomic chairs and adjustable keyboard trays also help support a culture of well-being. Eyeing the future Rapidly evolving technology is a fact of life. And for a segment as tech-dependent as telemedi- cine, it's key that workplaces can accommodate whatever technology comes over the ho- rizon. No one wants to revamp a space every few years because technology keeps rendering it obsolete. To that end, adjustable workstations that can be reconfi gured easily or moved, raised access fl ooring that allows for power and data systems reconfi gurations, and demountable partitions for conference rooms and offi ces will enable telemedicine facili- ties to reshape their spaces as needed. Additionally, universal design — i.e., one-size-fi ts-all workstations and offi ces — can imbue a space with inter- changeability and additional fl exibility. Ensuring 24/7 operability The unpredictability of health emergencies necessitates heightened levels of reliability and readiness for telemedicine facilities. Much like mission- critical facilities, large-scale telemedicine buildings will require increased electric- ity loads, redundant backup power supply and automatic power transfer switching to ensure continuous opera- tion no matter how trying the external circumstances may be. Previously, considerable thought had to be put into accommodating onsite data storage. But as more health- care systems migrate to either centralized data centers for all their facilities, or the cloud, the need for dedicated onsite data storage spaces is vanish- ing, thus freeing up more space for other programmatic needs. Uncovering additional considerations By no means are these the only factors in the design of large- scale telemedicine spaces. For example, there is also the integration of brand, which revolves around uncovering the potential of what you are versus inventing what you should be, and the design of beta spaces that encourage ex- perimentation and adaptation. As more large-scale telemedicine facilities are designed and constructed, we'll no doubt unearth more design considerations. Yet such is the nature of design: as needs evolve, so must design responses. Tama Duff y Day, FACHE, FIIDA, FASID, LEED AP BD+C, is principal and fi rmwide health & wellness practice area leader at Gensler. Dorsey, Ray, and Eric Topol, "Here's What Your Future Doctor Visits Could Look Like." Fortune, May 2, 2017. Friedman, Lauren F., and Kevin Loria, "11 scientifi c reasons you should be spending more time outside." Business Insider, April 22, 2016. 62% Amount of Americans that believe online visits with a doctor should cost less than in-person care — americanwell.com 66% Recent survey respondents willing to see a doctor over video for consultation — statista.com DESIGNING FOR INTERACTIONS A variety of formal and informal gathering spaces should be a feature of each telemedicine facility fl oor. Below: Because visual and aural privacy will be top priorities, workstations should feature movable screening devices and sound-dampening materials. 2 > 1 2 Friedman , Lauren F. , and Kevin Loria, "11 scientifi c reasons y ou should be spending m or e tim e outsid e ." Bu s ine ss I n sid e r , A pr il 22, 2016 . D E S IGNING F O R INTERACTI O N S A variet y o f f ormal and in f ormal g atherin g spaces should be a feature of each telemedicine facilit y fl oor. 2 2, 2017. y , Ma e tun For e." Lik ould Look C Doctor Visits e 's What Your Futur e r e H " , and Eric Topol, y , Ra y Dorse > . n o ti c a sf sati b jo concentration and boost rove p uce stress, im d ture can re - na o ws t e at vi h wn t ho s e av h tudies S cannot be overstated. e r u nat o ns t o ti ec nn co of ce tan - or p e im h e, t pl For exam y. eg strat ng well-bei y ever art of p sentials that should be - ere are some es h ture. Yet t l cu anization's g each healthcare or roach tailored to pp holistic a a ates to l trans phy oso l i ph that s, n term ig In des . anization and its success g or care h t l ea h efi nes a d at h w eted and essential to g tar S p aces suc h as terraces , b a l conies an d court - y ards, which p rovide access to nature, are even more d esi r- a bl e b ecause t h e y a l so functio n as areas for recha rg in g or q ui et contem pl ation. P hy sica l activit y is a l so k e y . Thus, features ranging from interconnectin g stairs to d e d i - cate d fi tness rooms a ll pl a y a pa rt in a trul y co mp rehensiv e we ll - b ein g a pp roac h. A n d er g onomic e l ements, such as sit-to-stand desks, full y a dj usta bl e er g onomic c h airs an d a dj usta bl e k e yb oar d tra y s also hel p su pp ort a culture of well-bein g . E y ein g the futur e Ra p idl y evolvin g technolo gy is a fact of l ife. An d for a se g ment as tech-de pe ndent as telemedi - cine, it's k e y t h at wor kpl aces can accommo d ate w h atever technolo gy comes over the ho - rizon. No one wants to revam p a s p ace ever y few y ears b ecause technolo gy kee ps renderi ng it ob s o le t e. To t h at en d , a dj usta bl e w o rkstati o ns that c an be reconfi g ured easil y or moved, raise d access fl oorin g t h at allows for p ower and data sy stems reconfi g urations, an d d emounta bl e p artitions for co nf e r e n ce r oo ms an d o ffi ce s wi ll e na ble t ele m ed i c in e fa c i l i - ties to res h a p e t h eir s p aces as needed. Additionall y , universal d esi g n — i.e., one-size-fi ts-a ll w o r k stati o ns an d o ffi ce s — c an i mbue a s p ace with inter - chan g eabilit y and additional fl exi b i l it y . Ensuring 24/7 o p erabilit y The un p redictabilit y of health emer g encies necessitates h ei gh tene d l eve l s of re l ia b i l it y an d r e a d in e ss f o r t e l e m ed i c in e fa c i li ti e s . M u ch l ik e missi o n - critica l faci l ities, l ar g e-sca l e telemedicine buildin g s will re q uire increased electric - it y l oa d s, re d un d ant b ac k u p po wer su pp l y and automatic p ower transfer switchin g to ensure cont i nuous o p era - tion no matter how tr y in g the external circumstances m ay be. Previous ly , consi d era bl e thou g ht had to be p ut into accommodatin g onsite dat a stora g e. But as more h ea l t h- care s y stems mi g rate to either ce ntraliz ed d ata ce nt e rs f o r all t h eir faci l ities, or t h e c l ou d , th e n eed f o r ded i c at ed o nsit e data stora g e s p aces is vanish - i n g , t h us freein g u p more s p ace for ot h er p ro g rammatic nee d s. Uncoverin g additional consi d eration s B y no means are these the onl y factors in t h e d esi g n of l ar g e - sca l e te l eme d icine s p aces. For exam p l e, there is also the i nte g ration of b ran d , w h ic h revo l ves aroun d uncoverin g the potential of what you are v ersus inventin g w h at y ou s h ou ld b e, an d t h e d esi g n o f b eta s pa ces that encoura ge e x- p erimentation an d a d a p tation. As more l ar g e-sca l e t e l e m ed i c in e fa c iliti e s ar e d esi g ne d an d constructe d , we' ll no d ou b t uneart h more desi gn considerations. Yet such is the nature of desi g n: as nee d s evo l ve, so must d esi g n res p onses. Tama Du ff y Da y , FACHE, FIIDA, F ASID, LEED AP BD+C, is p rinci p a l a nd fi rmwide health & wellness practice a rea leader at Gensler . 1 Below: Because visual and aural privac y will be top priorities, workstations should f eature movable screen ing devices and sound-dampenin g m aterials.

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