Hospitals and Healthcare

The Covid-19 epidemic response has shown that the U.S. is blessed with heroic physicians and other health care providers, researchers, and facilities. But it has also revealed a health care system that was woefully unprepared for the surge of pandemic patients. In the authors’ analysis, the primary blame rests on a hospital and insurance financial model geared towards providing high priced services rather than meeting all demands for care, including pandemics. Then they outline a plan for creating a hospital sector that can better respond to the population’s health needs during a time of crisis.

A century ago, a well-ventilated building was considered good medicine. But by the time Covid-19 arrived, our buildings could barely breathe. How did that happen? And how do we let the fresh air back in?

The way clinics make patients feel is an important part of their care. Physicians are getting the message.

Incarcerated men and women watch nature videos on a loop in a mental health program.

A new approach to interior design is less about aesthetic trends and more about how our spaces make us feel. Daisy Woodward explores the feel-good home phenomenon.

Two-plus years into the Covid-19 pandemic, you probably know the basics of protection: vaccines, boosters, proper handwashing and masks. But one of the most powerful tools against the coronavirus is one that experts believe is just starting to get the attention it deserves: ventilation.

A rural hospital in an area of Bangladesh vulnerable to rising sea levels has been named winner of the prestigious RIBA International Prize.

Rebecca is part of the quarter of people in her suburb who have a disability. She and her father have to make a trek through a world that is not set up for them.

Investigations at Melbourne hospitals have found it is common for the air in rooms of sick patients to be funnelled into busy corridors, as questions are now raised about the safety of hotel quarantine.

If Australia created more age-friendly neighbourhoods — which really are more liveable for everyone — then we wouldn't have to rely so heavily on underfunded, substandard aged-care homes.

Most aged care homes are designed to be naturally ventilated. But when windows are closed to keep out the cold, poor ventilation appears to be common – and that's a problem for infection control.

Already problems before the pandemic, burnout and turnover among hospitals’ clinical staff have become a crisis. One way to combat them is to design hospitals that promote staff well-being. This article offers three lessons about how to create such supportive environments.

PDF | On Feb 1, 1997, R S Ulrich published A theory of supportive design for healthcare facilities | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate

New Zealand’s acute mental health facilities are not fit for purpose. Although many inpatients are grateful for medication, they lament the lack of access to psychologists and therapeutic activities.

If your small space feels more claustrophobic than cozy, mental-health experts recommend making these easy changes.

Taranaki twins are doing research into how the level of ventilation can reduce the risk of spreading infectious diseases.

We have the chance to build a world class, dedicated quarantine facility. Here's how we could do it.

My childhood was spent navigating my father’s disability. Then I was told I was facing the possibility of life in a wheelchair myself