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Rural Healthcare Facilities as Communitiy Health Centers Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience
Topic of Research: Design for Rural Patients’ Psychological Well-Being and Positive Patient Experience KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS Factors that impact patient well-being: Access to high quality services, great staff, and affordable services are the main factors that influence how a patient’s experience will be. Rural areas typically struggle with having sufficient staff and resources to serve the community adequately.
Healthcare Facilities as Community Hubs: Many rural hospitals are the largest employer in the area and also become hubs for other members of the tigh-knit communities to gather. With access to affordable food, many critical access hospitals are popular eating spots for people in the community.
Lack of focus on Wholistic Health: In rural communities there tends to be a lack of importance placed on continuing wholistic health. Many people in these communities lack the opportunity for education on important aspects of health such as maintaining a healthy diet, exercise routine, and how to maintain good mental health.
Problem Statement: “How can rural communities utilize health care facilities to both promote healthy lifestyles for its patients while also bringing the surrounding community together as a whole?” KEY DESIGN PROBLEMS Focus on Illness: Community Health: Many healthcare facilities are focused on illness instead of continuing Little to no public space offered for community use which makes it less wellness, in rural healthcare facilities especially, which can deter patients likely for community members to visit. to maintain good health.
Financially Sustainable: Rural Hospitals tend to only have a single income from health services, making it difficult to be financially sustainable in rural areas.
Case Study: Patterson Health Center, Anthony, Kansas The Patterson Health Center is a merger of two critical access hospitals in Harper and Anthony Kansas. Each hospital was struggling to stay financially viable, and through a generous donation, were able to develop a shared facility directly in between the two towns and also adjacent to the shared high school. PROJECT DESIGN GOALS:
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY RURAL ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE EMPHASIS ON WELLNESS
Communitiy Health Centers
Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience ENVD 5386
Acute Care Design
ARCH 600
Evidence Based Design
Team Members:
Molly Knake & Garret Heibeck Professors: Dr. Debajyoti Pati, Dr. Hui Cai FALL 2020
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Rural Healthcare Facilities as Communitiy Health Centers Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience
Goodland Regional Medical Center Goodland, Kansas
Communitiy Health Centers
Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience ENVD 5386
Acute Care Design
ARCH 600
Evidence Based Design
Team Members:
Molly Knake & Garret Heibeck Professors: Dr. Debajyoti Pati, Dr. Hui Cai FALL 2020
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Rural Healthcare Facilities as Communitiy Health Centers Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience
Design Intervention: Goodland Healthcare Facility
Cafe Lounge and Dining Area
Continuing Wellness: Flexible Learning Space
Community Engagement: Activated Outdoor Space
In an effort to focus on patient satisfaction and well being, it seemed fit to create a space that would make the medical center more inviting. By opening up the seating space and connecting it to the dining hall it transformed the waiting area into something the surrounding community can now use as a cafe, lunch spot, and even a meeting space. Also, by opening the floor plan there was a perfect spot to include a coffee bar or healthy cafe. This design inclusion is meant to offer something healthy and easy for doctors, patients, or family members to grab and go about their day and also offers a good way to involve more of the community to visit the medical center.
The flexible learning space is also an important aspect of the design to have the opportunity to engage community members in learning about maintaining a healthy lifestyle. A lot of rural communities lack the resources to learn about the different aspects of health and how to maintain a healthy lifestyle, so this learning center would be a great addition to any rural healthcare facility. A variety of activities could occur in this space in regards to hospital events and also could be used by the community as a rentable space.
In small towns, promoting community and supporting the members in the town are very important aspects to consider when thinking about bringing in new services. A space for farmers to bring in fresh produce and sell their goods would be a great way to bring people together at the local health hub. This could bring people to the health center and intrigue interest in other ways the community members can improve their health. The specific back-in parking stalls creates the perfect setup for consumers to access the market through the park.
Focus on Wellness Financially Sustainable Communal Space
Engaging Community Continuing Wellness Education Multi-Purpose
Communitiy Health Centers
Design for rural patients’ psychological well-being and positive patient experience ENVD 5386
Acute Care Design
ARCH 600
Evidence Based Design
Community Envolvement Community Health Connection with Nursing Home Facility
Team Members:
Molly Knake & Garret Heibeck Professors: Dr. Debajyoti Pati, Dr. Hui Cai FALL 2020
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