In healthcare facilities, with the very nature of healing at its core, designing spaces with enhanced levels of human comfort is of prime importance. Daylighting in healthcare facilities has benefited the physiological and psychological well-being of patients receiving treatment. However, many decades of scientific and technological innovation in the field of electrical lighting have resulted... Read more »
Established in 2009, the Perkins&Will Research Journal is a twice-a-year, peer-reviewed publication dedicated to documenting and presenting practice-related research associated with buildings and their environments.
Pediatric care and the built environments that support it have been experiencing rapid disinvestment in the United States—regional and local pediatric units are being shut down throughout the country.1,2,3,4,5 There is an urgent need to rethink modern pediatric care models that include low-budget and equitable solutions to meet the growing needs of the population. This... Read more »
This study was carried out during the 2020 COVID pandemic. It aimed to assess the potential benefits of tele-health in addressing the needs of patients with respiratory illnesses who were most vulnerable during the pandemic and require extra precaution to prevent their infection. A proposed solution to tackling one of the hospital’s many challenges during... Read more »
Behavioral health needs are increasing at an alarming rate with one in five adults experiencing a mental illness of varying acuity. Prior research shows that 68 percent of adults with behavioral health conditions also have chronic medical comorbidities. However, current behavioral health services are plagued by access, payment, and provider gaps. The lack of care... Read more »
In the United States, the maternal mortality rate is 23.8 per 100,000 pregnancies representing 861 maternal deaths in 2020.1 Hospitals have made pregnancy a medical condition rather than a life event and it lacks patient-centeredness and empathy.2 To resolve the issue of maternal mortality and solve the physical challenges evolving during care, the need for... Read more »
This research aims to present the impact that COVID-19 had in the field of geriatrics. The article showcases challenges faced and current behavioral trends seen in the elderly population post-pandemic as it pertains to their healthcare needs. The aging population is the most vulnerable group of patients being cared for by the social care systems... Read more »
Employee Retention is a concern for every industry because turnover is costly and disruptive. For healthcare organizations the turnover rate is approximately 16.2% with the average cost of turnover for a bedside Registered Nurse (RN) ranging from $38,900-$59,700. Our healthcare workers continue to be at the front line of the COVID-19 global pandemic where their... Read more »
This article aims to identify and explore the links between design practices for natural disaster victims, refugees, and displaced houseless communities. This study employs an urban design framework for the evaluation of three case studies that provide design standards for housing populations in transitional situations. The approaches observed from these three case studies have been... Read more »
This article focuses on sustainable design considerations and strategies for achieving a high-performance retrofit of an existing higher-education laboratory building, located in a cold climate. The primary objective was to evaluate the present state and potential retrofit strategies to improve building performance. Research methods included analysis of archival data and empirical data, and computational software... Read more »
The threat of wildfires in California has significantly altered quality of life in the region. Adaptation will require fundamental corrections in land stewardship, development patterns, and building practices. Design professionals must make sense of an overwhelming array of information. In this article a literature review summarizes design relevant information including the role of wildfire in... Read more »
What design strategies should be used for expanding the boundary of healthcare facilities beyond the conventional norm? How could design practice create a facility that is more than a community wellness center? This paper focuses on the expansion and decentralization of healthcare within a community context. For academics and practitioners, the changing landscape of the... Read more »