Patient safety is a primary concern for hospital leaders these days. Most are focusing on process improvement, which is good. But they also need to look at how hospital building design can impact safety and take a lesson from Ralph Nader and the automobile industry. See why designing for safety has to start with the physical environment.

1. Designing
for Safety
What the
Healthcare
Industry Can
Learn from the
Automobile
Industry

2. 1965

3. The subject of Nader’s book was the rear-engined
Chevy Corvair, whose DESIGN flaws caused crashes
and did not protect drivers or passengers.

4. 1966

5. Since then, the number motor vehicle deaths in the U.S.
has SIGNIFICANTLY dropped.
50,894 in 1966
34,080 in 2012
Despite the fact that Americans are driving THREE
times as many miles.

6. 1999

7. 1999

8. 2013

9. Which is more
than if TWO jumbo
jets crashed every
day, killing all
aboard.

13. BUT, improving the design of
the physical environment is
barely on their radar.

14. Because, just like the design of the 1960s
automobiles contributed to deaths, so can the
design of the HOSPITAL ENVIRONMENT.

15. It, TOO,
should
first, do no
harm.

16. Acoustical materials to mitigate noise
Unit layout to decrease walking distances
Adequate space, proper lighting, and furniture to support
computer tasks
Access to natural light and nature
Places of respite

17. Private patient rooms
Surface materials that are easily cleanable
Proper ventilation and HVAC systems
Patient room layout that provides an easy path from the
bed to the bathroom
Distributed nurse stations for better observation and view
of patient room
Non-slip flooring

18. All these ideas are supported
by RESEARCH that links the
design of the physical
environment to outcomes.

19. BUT, improving the design of
the physical environment is
barely on their radar.
Much of the
research can
be found
HERE.

21. And, there are many MORE
examples. Large and small.

22. This IS not ROCKET SCIENCE

23. Healthcare, now it’s your turn.

24. FOLLOW MY BLOG:
saramarberry.com/blog
CONNECT WITH ME:
linkedin.com/in/saramarberry
twitter@saramarberry
slideshare.net/saramarberry
sara@saramarberry.com