Healthcare Design - May 2016 - 45

Right: The organic greenhouse
at Henry Ford West Bloomfield
Hospital, managed by a full-time
resident farmer, supplies herbs
and produce for patients, staff,
and visitors. Below: In addition to
hosting healthy cooking classes,
the demo kitchen at Henry Ford
West Bloomfield is also used
regularly as meeting space, with
Internet connectivity on five flatscreen monitors.

Q+A with Jocelyn Frederick
Principal, Tsoi/Kobus & Associates

When you think about "designing for wellness in
healthcare spaces," what does that mean to you?
Designing for wellness is a complex process of balancing the
qualitative and quantitative aspects of the built environment. It's
based on an understanding of the multitude of different customer
perspectives. Wellness encompasses everything from materials used (carpet,
furniture, and the structure itself) to the floor plan, such as locating nurses'
stations, patient rooms, and supply closets in proximities that reduce staff travel
time; designing rooms with a focus on patient privacy and safety; and including
well-positioned areas for respite and gathering. Then there are the aesthetics (introducing natural materials and daylight wherever possible, and using colors and
designs that are uplifting and restful) and, of course, the amenities and programs
that promote a healthy lifestyle for the patients, staff, and community.

HENRY FORD HEALTH SYSTEM

How are today's healthcare systems embracing this concept?

and broadcast on the hospital's television
network, allowing viewers to tune in from
patient rooms and other areas.
Embracing good food as the body's
best defense against disease is also the
idea behind a new demonstration kitchen
expected to open this summer at The
Children's Hospital of San Antonio.
"To our knowledge, it will be the first
teaching kitchen in a children's hospital
in the U.S.," says Dr. Mark Gilger, the
hospital's pediatrician-in-chief and vice
chair of pediatrics at Baylor College of
Medicine. "The issue behind the teaching
kitchen-why we're pursuing this-is to take
a very early, proactive approach to obesity
in the United States."
Children will receive a hands-on
introduction to cooking while learning about
healthier alternatives to sugar and salt.
They will be encouraged to replicate their
experiences with families at home.
"We really want to create what we
call 'a recipe for life,'" Gilger says.
-Susan Kreimer

Many healthcare systems have begun to address wellness on the surface
level. The "traditional" focus has been on improving patient and staff satisfaction; decreasing operational costs; using environmentally friendly and sustainable
products; and designing light-filled, anxiety-free spaces. And many systems are
successfully incorporating noninstitutional, hospitality-like design within the built
environment.
The University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital (UMMCH) took the
design for wellness one step further and introduced learning opportunities for its
customers. Through the development of the "Passport to Discovery" interactive wayfinding tool, UMMCH was able to celebrate cultural diversity. Each floor
features a unique habitat with animals acting as storytellers, reinforcing the
importance of healthy environments and global interdependence.
There is much focus on the use of technology and wearable devices as a
means to send cues related to improving our health. The translation to the built
environment is still evolving. For example, the design of the typical exam room
is moving away from the focus on the table to a more collaborative, face-toface discussion with the patient and caregiver. The use of video conferencing/
Skype to interact with patients is also gaining momentum. Questions related to
compliance with wearable devices, the ability to provide targeted therapeutics
to a larger population base, and the impact of real-time data have yet to be fully
proven. The efficacy of these modalities would truly impact how we envision the
built healthcare environment.

Where do we go from here? What's your idea of a dream project that
would most fully integrate wellness concepts?
My dream project would be the development of health enrichment centers. These
centers would build on each individual's knowledge to personalize appropriate,
healthy-living choices. The center would embrace all aspects of care: clinical,
behavioral, social, economic, and environmental. I envision a full-service center
with multiple programs including primary care clinics with counseling and group
therapy services, demonstration/test kitchens, cyber cafés, and fitness classes.
These centers would be located within the communities and would encourage
participation and continual learning, welcoming "students" of all ages. The ability
to translate the medical jargon into everyday words and behaviors that make a
difference would truly support the larger concept of wellness.
HCDmagazine.com 05.16

45
http://www.HCDmagazine.com
Healthcare Design - May 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - May 2016
