Earlier this month, I attended the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo in Indianapolis. The multi-day event had an exhibition hall with vendors showcasing innovative products and a full schedule of speakers and panel discussions about the latest in healthcare design. It was an action-packed couple of days. I left inspired about where the industry is headed and the possibilities for print service providers to work with designers in this industry.
As I took in the conference, I saw five overarching trends emerge:
- Caring for caregivers.
Designing lounges and break rooms that help staff avoid burnout by having places to rest and recharge.
- Designing with empathy.
Considering how designing for neurodiversity helps create a space where people feel they have control over their environment.
- Improving outcomes with good design.
- Encouraging positive patient outcomes by selecting materials that inspire a sense of calm and reduce stressors.
- Technology that's smart.
- Integrating technology into a room so that it is helpful and not overwhelming for patients or caregivers.
- Connection to nature.
- Many studies have been done about nature's positive effect on people's health and well-being. Architects are designing healthcare facilities to increase natural light and outdoor access.
Within these trends, where are the opportunities for printers?
With these healthcare trends in mind, there are many opportunities to add color and pattern to the materials they specify.
As we're seeing in commercial interiors, healthcare is paying attention to how acoustics impact a person's experience in a place. This can be particularly important for neurodiverse patients. Many acoustic materials on display were cut or printed to make it aesthetically attractive while maintaining its function.
Textiles such as privacy curtains and upholstery have different and more stringent testing requirements for healthcare interiors than other spaces because these are in high-traffic areas and undergo rigorous cleaning routines. Previously, this meant these textiles tended to be dull and industrial-looking. Today, these materials can be printed with soothing colors and patterns to create a more comforting environment.
In addition to soft materials, laminates and whiteboards do not have to be plain. These surfaces offer another opportunity to add color or pattern. In the case of whiteboards, they can also be customized for a facility to make them more useful for caregivers and patients. When patients and their families know what is happening around them, they are more relaxed and have better outcomes.
Architects are consciously designing buildings to have more natural light and access to nature. However, it's not always feasible for all rooms to have a view of the outdoors. To try and harness some of the positive responses nature gives people, designers can choose materials printed with beautiful imagery of nature.
What is most exciting to me about healthcare interiors is that these spaces are becoming warmer and more comforting. Rather than plain, sterile materials in big industrial buildings, there is more color and softness added to these environments. When a space such as a healthcare facility inspires a sense of calm, patients are more relaxed and ultimately have better health outcomes.
If you're curious about how your business can reach interior designers, join me at an upcoming free education webinar. Hosted by Dan Marx, content director for Wide-format Impressions, I'll be presenting Digital Printing and the World of Interior Design. This is a free event, but attendees must register in advance
Emerging Trends in Healthcare Design, How Wide-format Printers Can Take Advantage of Them
Earlier this month, I attended the Healthcare Design Conference + Expo in Indianapolis. The multi-day event had an exhibition hall with vendors showcasing innovative products and a full schedule of speakers and panel discussions about the latest in healthcare design. It was an action-packed couple of days. I left inspired about where the industry is headed and the possibilities for print service providers to work with designers in this industry.
As I took in the conference, I saw five overarching trends emerge:
Designing lounges and break rooms that help staff avoid burnout by having places to rest and recharge.
Considering how designing for neurodiversity helps create a space where people feel they have control over their environment.
Within these trends, where are the opportunities for printers?
With these healthcare trends in mind, there are many opportunities to add color and pattern to the materials they specify.
As we're seeing in commercial interiors, healthcare is paying attention to how acoustics impact a person's experience in a place. This can be particularly important for neurodiverse patients. Many acoustic materials on display were cut or printed to make it aesthetically attractive while maintaining its function.
Textiles such as privacy curtains and upholstery have different and more stringent testing requirements for healthcare interiors than other spaces because these are in high-traffic areas and undergo rigorous cleaning routines. Previously, this meant these textiles tended to be dull and industrial-looking. Today, these materials can be printed with soothing colors and patterns to create a more comforting environment.
In addition to soft materials, laminates and whiteboards do not have to be plain. These surfaces offer another opportunity to add color or pattern. In the case of whiteboards, they can also be customized for a facility to make them more useful for caregivers and patients. When patients and their families know what is happening around them, they are more relaxed and have better outcomes.
Architects are consciously designing buildings to have more natural light and access to nature. However, it's not always feasible for all rooms to have a view of the outdoors. To try and harness some of the positive responses nature gives people, designers can choose materials printed with beautiful imagery of nature.
What is most exciting to me about healthcare interiors is that these spaces are becoming warmer and more comforting. Rather than plain, sterile materials in big industrial buildings, there is more color and softness added to these environments. When a space such as a healthcare facility inspires a sense of calm, patients are more relaxed and ultimately have better health outcomes.
If you're curious about how your business can reach interior designers, join me at an upcoming free education webinar. Hosted by Dan Marx, content director for Wide-format Impressions, I'll be presenting Digital Printing and the World of Interior Design. This is a free event, but attendees must register in advance
Kristen Dettoni is the founder and CEO of Design Pool LLC, the only pattern library created exclusively for interior designers. Since 1996, Kristen has worked for mills throughout North America, designing fabrics for automobiles, furniture, and home furnishings. She developed the first sustainable upholstery fabric for office interiors, the first sustainable upholstery fabric for automotive interiors, and was awarded a patent for automotive suspension seating. Kristen believes strongly in the power of good design to transform our environments and experiences.