10.28.24

Keeping a Pulse on 9 Healthcare Trends

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Caregivers are defined by their compassion and dedication to others, but the demands of the job often leave them feeling overwhelmed and stressed. To truly support them, healthcare workplaces must prioritize caregiver well-being. Designing spaces that care for the caregiver enhances their daily experience and fosters a more sustainable workforce. This is about creating environments where caregivers feel valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. 

Healthcare decision-makers have a unique opportunity to transform workspaces to better care for those who care for others. By incorporating thoughtful design elements, like the ones outlined below, organizations can improve caregiver well-being, which in turn boosts employee attraction and retention. Here are 9 trends that are changing healthcare environments.

1. Caregiver Control

Personalized controls with systems that provide options for warm/cool lighting, climate, featured artwork, and flexible décor will grow in popularity. These advanced interfaces are becoming more streamlined and affordable for healthcare facilities to implement. Caregivers determine the most comfortable and ergonomic settings to do their work.

2. Competing for Clinical Roles

The pressing shortage of physicians and nurses will continue to force healthcare organizations to get more creative in how they compete for all types of caregiver roles. Using the same old approaches to find talent and fill jobs won’t work. Building a mission-driven brand is one entrée for a compelling case to join an organization and stay.

3. We’re All Human

Increased integration of technology has emerged as a driving force behind the transformation of acute and ambulatory care spaces. These advancements—including digital checkpoints, smart signage for caregiver communication, and patient-facing interactive screens—will work hand in hand with interior architectural innovation to usher in a new era that prioritizes the human element of design.

4. More Inviting

Design that includes more natural elements and lighting, comfortable seating, and tones outside of the standard clinical white will continue. More like hospitality design and less like a sterile clinic, a more inviting vibe helps take the stress out of a visit especially among services that compete for patients.

5. Zen Dens

Relaxed rooms, separate from staff break rooms, will underscore a commitment to caregivers’ mental and emotional health.

6. From In to Out

More services are moving off the hospital campus and out to the communities where patients live, work, and shop. Medical offices, retail-based clinics, specialty care centers, and urgent care facilities are now being placed in more convenient locations for customers. Designing these new spaces and reimagining space freed up in the hospital have implications for healthcare designers.

7.  AI and the 3 Cs

Artificial intelligence tools are on the fast track to improve communication, coordination, and collaboration. For example, AI tools that process conversations in real time could invite input from team members including the patient. Or, AI could identify a clinician from outside the core team whose expertise and input might be particularly valuable to decision-making.

8. On the Go

Medical carts that serve as mobile workstations with smart technologies continue to proliferate. Equipped with touchscreens, RFID technology, and wireless communication capabilities, caregivers will no longer be tied to a static workstation. Instead, they will have with on-the-go seamless data access, medication management, and real-time communication among teams.

9. Modularity

The design implications for environments to support flexibility are pushing the envelope of what’s possible. As more health systems look to modular construction to solve capacity challenges, cutting costs, saving time, and improving quality will continue to be top of mind for new builds.

Healthcare space design is evolving, drawing inspiration from home, office, and third spaces where people live, work, and gather. By embracing these trends, healthcare organizations can create environments that support both patients and caregivers—helping those who care for others feel cared for themselves. This fosters a workplace culture that attracts and retains top talent while ensuring caregivers have a great place to work.

This article was originally posted on Haworth.com