Visual contact to isolation rooms

Challenge

Isolation of people infected with COVID-19 has played a central role in the containment of infection in Denmark – both in hospitals and in people’s own homes. A study by the Competence Centre for Patient Experiences (Kompetencecenter for Patientoplevelser) emphasises that patients in isolation experience loneliness and uncertainty about the disease, which can have serious psychological consequences. According to the study, communication with relatives is essential. Given that relatives are a valuable resource in the process of recovery, deprivation of their physical presence can be detrimental to the patient.1 This is not only true for COVID-19 patients but for patients in isolation in general. Hospitalised children and their relatives are particularly vulnerable to the separation caused by isolation.

Solution

Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital is the Danish State Hospital’s new hospital building for children, young people, pregnant women, and their families. The new building’s wards are designed to be quickly and easily converted into isolation rooms. This means, among other things, that there is a window between the rooms and the hallway with a seating niche, where relatives can stay close to the inpatient without breaking their isolation. For privacy, the inpatient can block the view with a curtain.

The example shows how a design solution can be technically simple but still increase security for people in a vulnerable situation and support a better patient experience.

Taxonomy

Sphere: Treatment

Timescale: Long Term

Type: Building Intervention

User Group: Children, Families, Employees/ Service Providers, Customers/Users

The wards at Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital give patients, family, and staff the opportunity for visual contact between the room and the hallway

Project and location: Silkeborg Stævneplads, Silkeborg, Denmark

Contributor: Region Midtjylland – Hospitalsenhed Midt, Vaccinationscenter Silkeborg

Established: 2021