Hospitals Respond with Better, Patient Centric Design & Construction

Hospitals Design Smarter & Safer

Healthcare is a rapidly-evolving industry – hospital design and construction are experiencing significant shifts to meet new challenges and opportunities. From incorporating cutting-edge technology to adapting to industry consolidation, modern hospitals are setting a new standard for high-quality care, and leaving the old language of hospital design in the dust.

One main trend is to raise the experience for the patients and their families. The New Valley Hospital in Paramus, New Jersey created 370 inpatient beds in its new hospital with the key elements being “patient centric” and technology friendly. This facility checks many of the boxes for new hospital planning, building and community outreach.

Other must haves for facilities are flexibility, a holistic approach, and innovative design strategies – using technology where appropriate to keep the patients safe.

Flexibility is no longer a luxury but a necessity in hospital design. Flexible hospital designs enable facilities to reconfigure spaces that can adapt to new medical practices, technologies, and patient expectations.

In behavioral health facilities, flexibility, patient centric design, and innovative design strategies focused on safety are of PARAMOUNT importance.

The Door Switch has long been in the “patient-centric” business, as our goal is to not only protect the patient from self harm, but to also be non invasive as a preventative detection device, providing both privacy and dignity to the patients in the inpatient units. We are happy to see hospitals pool their resources with a main goal being focused on the patient’s experience, comfort and health.

Suicide is On the Rise Between 2000 and 2022

It’s no secret that suicide is on the rise. In 2021, 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.7 million attempted suicide. Sucide was the 2nd leading cause of death for people ages 10-14 and 20-34 in 2021 and the rate has steadily increased in the U.S. over the past 20 years.

It has risen an astounding 36% increase from the years 2000 – 2021, the most recent data shows. Suicide was responsible for 48,183 deaths in 2021, and the national suicide rate increased an additional 2% between 2021 and 2022.

Youth have been particularly affected. Between 2007 and 2019, there was a significant increase in suicides among youth 10 to 24 years of age. It is the second leading cause of death for this age range, with homicides being third and malignant neoplasms a distant fourth.

Suicide Attempt Rates Are On the Rise

Like suicide deaths, suicide attempt rates also increased in the past decade, particularly among female, non-Hispanic white, and non-Hispanic Black students. In 2021, 22% of high school students reported suidide ideation, with highest prevalence among female (30%), American Indian or Alaskan Native (27.3%), and lesbian, gay, or bisexual youth (48.1%).

Hospitals Respond to Alarming Trends With Better Design & Patient Centric Experience

Hospital officials have to respond. In order to accommodate these disturbing trends and other worrisome declining public health trends, hospital design is radically changing – for the better. In new design, they are integrating wellness with healing. Hospitals are incorporating features such as natural light, green spaces, and wellness programs to promote holistic health. These elements enhance the patient experience and contribute to faster recovery times and improved overall well-being.

The rapid pace of technological advancements and evolving patient expectations are affecting not just hospital designs, but hospital experiences, as these new concepts are driving hospitals to be safer, happier, and healthier destinations.

The Door Switch™ wants to continue the fight for more awareness and provide additional resources to dispel the myths about mental health issues and solutions for safety issues. We also continue to strive to provide a product that keeps the hospital environment safe. We continue to be committed to better practices and procedures in the mental health community. For information concerning our safety product, please click here.

If you are in crisis or are experiencing difficult or suicidal thoughts, call the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273 TALK (8255).

Sincerely,

The Door Switch™