“Designing Hospitals and Clinics to Improve Employee Well-Being and Patient Healing”
Even before the Covid-19 pandemic, rates of behavioral health illnesses were on the rise. Now, in the third year of the pandemic, mental health has become a crisis, particularly among healthcare workers who are facing high levels of stress and burnout. As mask mandates have been lifted and restrictions reduced in many areas, caregivers continue to treat infected patients while dealing with the consequences of the last two years. This has led to a rise in mental health problems among healthcare workers, with many reporting record rates of anxiety and depression compared to the general population.
In response to this, hospitals across the country are rethinking their approach to the physical environment and incorporating research-based design strategies that improve the well-being of both patients and staff. Massachusetts General Hospital, Atrium Health, Loma Linda University Medical Center, and Montage Health are among the health systems leading the charge by implementing innovative design features.
For example, Massachusetts General Hospital is constructing a 482-bed expansion called Cambridge Street that focuses on staff and patient satisfaction, operational efficiency, and environmental management. The hospital’s previous installation, the Lunder Building, offers key insights into how design interventions can significantly impact the mental well-being of staff members. Features such as light-flooded staircases, deliberately quiet patient floors, and safer working conditions have contributed to a more comfortable and productive work environment for employees.
Loma Linda University Medical Center in Southern California has incorporated open-core designs, wide hallways, access to daylight, and strategically located patient rooms and supplies to reduce the burden on staff and create a more efficient workspace. Additionally, health systems like Montage Health are incorporating nature into their building designs to reduce levels of arousal fatigue among caregivers, which is a key factor contributing to burnout.
These design interventions are not only investments in staff longevity but also essential in reducing stress and encouraging positive lifestyle choices, ultimately supporting the mental and physical well-being of those charged with helping others recover. Implementing such changes in hospital and clinic design will be crucial in retaining and recruiting staff while reducing the financial impact of burnout and turnover.
As healthcare systems continue to grapple with the long-term effects of the pandemic, it is more important than ever to shift toward a more caregiver-centered mindset. Designing buildings to improve employee well-being will not only help keep them satisfied and productive but also lead to better patient healing outcomes.