Have you heard that The Australian Government is investing up to $537 billion in the healthcare industry over the next four years?
$9.8 billion of this allocated finances goes to hospital funding, with another $296.5 million to be invested for regional, rural, and remote health improvements. Meanwhile, over $36 million will be spent to enhance medical training in the South West and Goldfields regions through two new university departments.
According to The Australian Healthcare State of the Industry Report 2021, the following health clinic design features are the most important for patients:
● Efficiency and cost-effectiveness: 21.57%
● Patient experience and patient flow: 17.65%
● Cleanliness and sanitation: 10.78%
● Therapeutic environment: 9.80%
Here are the top healthcare interior design trends this 2022 to consider so you can continue to thrive:
Wayfinding
● Integrating colours to directional diagrams help improve readability and add a vigorous mood for both medical clinic staff and visitors.
● Studies from The Centre for Health Design shows that 13 out of 19 patients with dementia found colour helpful in locating their rooms.
● The same research revealed that below are the most popular colours for patients in the following healthcare departments:
● Blue and pink – paediatrics
● White – laboratories
● Green – dentistry
Custom Acoustic Panelling
● Wave panels are preferable in health clinicreception areas to contain background noises including children playing and improve speech clarity in conversations.
● Washable fabric panels are recommended to soften the sound within rooms, and make an elegant feature wall for photographs or cards.
● Glass fibre panels are suitable for clinic laboratories with noisy equipment. It offers high NRC (Noise Reduction Coefficient) values that block mechanical system noises across adjacent rooms, improving the environment for healthcare workers stationed in these areas.
Glass Partitions
● Glass partitions and dividers in health centers allow natural light to seep in and are also easier to clean, disinfect, and maintain.
● Customised glass frosting provides just the right amount of privacy needed in healthcare rooms and offices.
● Switchable privacy glass is an innovation that can transform from a transparent to opaque visibility, giving health clinic patients control of their healing environment.
Homelike Atmosphere
● Our internal research shows that incorporating wood in healthcare interior design brings about lower levels of blood pressure and lower levels of cortisol (stress hormone), for people who had contact with wood interiors in a test environment.
● Natural wood flooring (as opposed to tiles) creates a natural environment for a more comfortable, serene mood inside the medical clinic – plus it also promotes sustainable building practices.
● Utilise couches in the reception and common areas instead of regular waiting room chairs. Incorporate design elements such as paintings, murals, and greenery, for that extra warm feeling that makes a lively, homelike setting.
If you would like to build, renovate, or fit out your healthcare clinic, contact us so we can start exploring options.