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S F O U S F S F S C E S 24 Medical Construction & Design | NOV EMBER / DECEMBER 2017 | MCDM AG.COM Also, such facilities will need to enable secure, reliable and around-the-clock opera- tion, in much the same fashion as mission-critical facilities. Thus, another layer is added to an already complex typology. With an eye toward ad- dressing the many overlapping needs of tomorrow's large- scale telemedicine facilities, what follows is a set of key design recommendations that touch on everything from workplace design to occupant well-being to systems reli- ability. Designing for interactions If telemedicine becomes a titanic industry changer, it will do so in large part by its enabling of genuine hu- man connections — between practitioners and patients separated by vast distances, as well as among practitioners separated by just a few feet. Such fostering of human con- nections presents a signifi cant design opportunity. Large- scale telemedicine spaces that get it right will enable healthy, happy and meaningful experi- ences for practitioners, result- ing in more eff ective delivery of quality care. But with sizeable work- forces, these facilities need to be planned to create a sense of intimacy; the relentless rows of workstations that affl ict so many call centers won't cut it. Instead, fl oorplates should be broken up into neighborhoods, or small groupings of worksta- tions. These groupings help to humanize the scale of large fl oorplates. More importantly, they help practitioners more easily connect with each other when not videoconferencing. Human nature is such that people are more likely to col- laborate when they feel they're part of a small group rather than a massive collective. To that end, a variety of informal and formal gathering spaces — huddle rooms, conference rooms and lounges — should also be a feature of each fl oor. Yet when it comes to one- on-one interactions between patients and practitioners, fo- cus is key. Thus, workstations should be designed accord- ingly. Because visual and aural privacy will be top priorities, workstations should feature movable screening devices and sound-dampening materials. Also, there must be enough space between workstations to allow for aural privacy and concentration. Likewise, an equally important consideration is the on-camera appearance of practitioners. Cameras should be mounted so practitioners appear to look directly at patients, just as they would during an in-person interac- tion. If placed too low or too high, cameras will produce an awkward point of view. Similar attention should be paid to lighting. Light sources at the workstation should produce diff used light that falls in front of the subject to reduce shadows. (Backlighting, by contrast, tends to result in a subject in shadow.) Furthermore, the on-camera background should also be well-considered. If a screening device is used, per the above recommendation, it should be pattern-free and a light, non- distracting color, such as neu- tral gray, to also aid in focus. Making well-being a priority Energized and engaged practitioners are more eff ective practitioners. Given that many workers in large- scale telemedicine facilities will spend most of their days involved in sedentary activities, well-being concerns become even more important. However, workplace well- being eff orts frequently fall short. Why? Because too often, well-being is reduced to a simple program or checklist. For it to truly work, well- being must be an overarching business strategy aimed at increasing productivity, bolstering energy and engagement and improving health and happiness. And like any good business strategy, well-being should be ongoing, THE FUTURE ISSUE FOCUS 67% Healthcare professionals (physicians + others) are either using some form of telemedicine now or plan to — americanwell.com 7M Predicted number of telehealth patients by 2018 — statista.com Also , such facilities will need to enable secure , reliable and around-the-clock o p era- tion , in much the same fashion as missi o n- c riti c a l fa c i li ti e s . T h us, anot h er l ayer is a dd e d to an a l rea d y comp l ex typo l ogy . Wit h an e y e towar d a d- d ressin g t h e man y over l a pp in g nee d s of tomorrow's l a rg e - sca l e te l eme d icine faci l ities, w h at fo ll ows is a set of k e y desi g n recommendations that touch on ever y thin g from work p lace desi g n to occu p ant well-bei ng to sy stems reli - abilit y . Desi g nin g f or i nt e ra c t io n s If t ele m ed i c in e beco m e s a titanic in d ust ry c h a ng er , it wi ll d o so in l ar g e p art by its ena bl in g of g enuine h u - man connections — b etween p ractitioners an d p atients se p arated b y vast distances, as well as amon g pr actitioners se p arated b y j ust a few feet. S uch fosterin g of human con - nections p resents a si g ni fi cant desi g n o pp ortunit y . Lar g e- scale telemedicine spaces that ge t it r ig h t wi ll ena bl e h ea l t h y , h appy an d meaningfu l experi - ences for practitioners, resu l t - in g in more eff ective d e l iver y of q ua l it y care. B ut wit h sizea bl e wor k- forces , these facilities need to be p lanned to create a sense o f intimac y ; t h e re l ent l ess rows o f w o rkstati o ns that affl i c t s o man y call centers won't cut it. Instead, fl oor p lates should be broken u p into nei g hborhoods , or sma ll g rou p in g s of wor k sta - tions. T h ese g rou p in g s h e lp to h umanize t h e sca l e of l arge fl oor pl ates. More im p ortant ly , t h e y h e lp p ractitioners more easi ly connect wit h eac h ot h er when not videoconferencin g . H u man nat u r e is s uc h that p eo p le are more likel y to col - laborate when th ey feel th ey 're p art of a sma ll g rou p rat h er t h an a massiv e collec tiv e. T o t h at en d , a variety of informa l an d forma l g at h erin g s p aces — h u ddl e rooms, conference rooms an d l oun ge s — s h ou ld a l s o be a f e at u r e o f e a ch fl oo r . Ye t w he n it co m e s t o o n e - on-one interactions b etween pa tients and p ractitioners , fo - cus is ke y . Thus, workstations s h ou ld b e d esi g ne d accor d- in g l y . Because visual and aural p rivac y will be to p p riorities, w o rkstati o ns sh ou l d f e at u r e movable screenin g devices and soun d - d am p enin g materia l s. Al so, t h ere must b e enou gh space b etween wor k stations to a ll ow for aura l p rivac y an d co n ce ntrati o n . Li k ewise , an e qu a lly i m p ortant consideration is the on-camera a pp earance o f p ractitioners. Cameras should b e mounted so pr actitioners appear to look directly at patients, just as t h ey wou ld d uring an in-person interac - tion. If pl ace d too l ow or too h i gh , cameras wi ll p ro d uce an aw k war d po int of view. S imi l ar attention s h ou ld b e p ai d to l i gh tin g . Li gh t sources at the workstation should p roduce diff used li g ht that falls in front of the sub j ect to reduce shadows. (Backl ig htin g, by contrast, tends to result i n a subject in shadow.) Furthermore , the on-camera b ac k groun d s h ou ld a l so b e we ll -consi d ere d . If a screenin g d evice is use d , pe r t h e a b ove recommen d ation, it s h ou ld b e p attern-free an d a l i gh t, non - d istractin g co l or, suc h as neu - tra l g ra y , to a l so ai d in focus . Makin g well-bein g a p r i or i t y Ener g ized and en g a g ed p ract i t i oners are more e ff ective p ractitioners. Given that many workers in large - sc a le t ele m ed i c in e fa c i l iti e s wi ll spen d most of t h eir d ays invo l ve d in se d entary activities, we ll - b ein g concerns b ecome even more im p ortant. However, wor kpl ace we ll- b ein g eff orts fr eq uentl y fal l s hort. Wh y ? Because too often, we ll - b ein g is re d uce d to a s im p le p ro g ram or checklist. For it to trul y work, well - b ein g must be an overarchin g b usiness strat eg y aimed at increasin g p ro d uctivit y , b o l sterin g ener gy an d engagement an d improvin g h ea l t h an d h a pp iness. An d l i k e an y g oo d b usiness strate gy , we ll - b ei ng s h ou ld b e o ng oi ng , T HE F U T U R E I S S U E F O C U S C ISSUE FOC S C U ISSUE F F S U ISSUE U ISS I S S U E F O C U S S C E S ISSUE FOCUS I C E S ISSUE FOCUS I S C E S I S S U E F O C U S I O S C E ISSUE FOCUS I O S C E S ISSUE FOCUS I O S E S ISSUE FOCUS I O S E S I S S U E F O C U S O S U S ISSUE FOCUS O U ISSUE FOCU S O U SUE FOCUS U UE FOCUS U FOCUS ISS FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOC ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS SSUE FOCUS ISSUE CUS ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCU ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS SUE FOCUS ISSUE F US ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS ISSUE FOCUS IS E FOCUS MAKING WELL-BEING A PRIORIT Y Spaces such as terraces, balconies and courtyards can function as areas for recharging or quiet contemplation. Wellbeing: Garrett Rowland; Gathering: Ryan Gobuty; Privacy: Herman Miller, Inc.