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Healthcare Providers’ Perception of Design Factors in Hospitals

Research links hospital staff wellbeing, productivity, and satisfaction with the physical environment.
Importance of integrating healthcare providers’ perspectives in hospital design for effective therapeutic environments.
Previous studies primarily focused on user satisfaction relating to service delivery, lacking insights into design aspects affecting interactions.
The study employs a 16-item questionnaire directed at nurses, doctors, and administrative staff in two Chinese hospitals, achieving a 77.3% response rate (N=304).
Analysis revealed three principal design components: spatial design, maintenance design, and environmental design.
Notable differences in perception between genders and varying work patterns were observed, with a lower emphasis on subjective design elements like aesthetics.

Evidence indicates a strong relationship between health outcomes and physical environments (Gesler et al., 2004).
Architectural design's role in healthcare facility effectiveness has gained attention (Reiling, 2007).
'Place making' focuses on creating a psychological fit between users and environments.
Past research on hospital environments often neglected thorough evaluations of aspects contributing to quality of care and staff satisfaction.
Need for comprehensive studies to inform facility designs through user perspectives.

The questionnaire was created over four stages:
1. Literature Review (Jan-May 2009): Identified factors influencing perceptions and satisfaction.
2. Staff Interviews: Engaged healthcare staff at participating hospitals to gain perspective.
3. Draft Development and Review: Created an initial draft, reviewed for accuracy and clarity.
4. Finalization: Included demographic questions and a 5-point rating scale for the design factors.

Participants across all healthcare roles were randomly selected from two significant Chinese hospitals with a total of approximately 5,900 staff and 4,000 beds.
Respondents were required to be at least 18 years old and have worked in their hospitals for a minimum of 6 months.

Ethical approvals were obtained from the authors’ institution in the UK and the participating hospitals.

Data were collected between 12-26 August 2009.
Diverse response strategies were employed, including random selection across hospital floors and group distributions during meetings.

Statistical analyses were performed using PASW Statistics version 18.0 (IBM-SPSS, 2010).
Tools included descriptive statistics, Cronbach’s alpha for reliability, and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify underlying structures.

Respondents included 36.2% males and 63.8% females with an average age predominantly between 26-35 years.
Detailed analysis highlighted the department-wise distribution and working hours of respondents.

PCA revealed three components explaining 58.4% of the variance related to spatial design, environmental design, and maintenance design dimensions.

Cleanliness and ease of maintenance were rated as the most crucial factors (mean score 4.66).
Respondents emphasized environmental and maintenance aspects over architectural design considerations.

Gender differences were observed, with females showing higher sensitivity to cleanliness and sensory-related design factors.
Working hours affected perceptions of several design aspects, indicating that longer hours may alter priorities in design emphasis.
Cultural factors, including preferences shaped by Feng Shui, influenced spatial design assessments.

Study focused on two specific Chinese hospitals, potentially limiting universal applicability of findings.
A high representation of female respondents reflects trends in healthcare workforce demographics.

Findings highlight the necessity of considering healthcare providers' perceptions in architectural design processes to foster therapeutic environments.
The emphasis on cleanliness and functional design features reflects a need for designs that prioritize operational efficiency and user satisfaction.

Research funding provided by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).

A comprehensive list of cited works expands on the methodologies and findings discussed in the paper.