Hospital
If one were to look at the dysfunction in our healthcare system through the lens of design, one could safely say that we are in deep deep trouble. I went to visit a close friend in the hospital this weekend, and I was aghast at all the cords and clip and tangles. There was absolutely no attention paid to aesthetics, much less usability, neither of which are insignificant or shallow, especially when one is ill or injured. My husband said it best: Hospitals aren’t designed for patients. They are designed for practitioners. I’m not even sure that is true.
Monday 06.13.11 at 4:12 pm
They certainly are not a good place to get well.
Monday 06.13.11 at 11:30 pm
I agree, and can’t think of many patients and/or doctors who would disagree. Just scrolling through your photos here I started to feel anxious. It is such a depressing space, with horrible fluorescent lighting. I’m not a germophobe but though hospitals are supposed to be an antiseptic space, they always feel a bit grungy to me. I would think that such a space would make any patient discouraged; an improvement in the atmosphere would most likely improve many patients’ feelings.
Thursday 06.16.11 at 11:05 am
I keep coming back to the question of what to do and how to change this. Even in small measure. No answers yet.