One of the key elements of a well-designed hospital room is an electrical panel or “power bar” placed on a console above the patient’s bed. Without such a hub, it is harder for medical staff to plug in equipment. Hospitals rooms that don’t feature these hubs are ill-designed, and patients in poorly-designed rooms need to be moved often when new equipment comes in or old equipment is moved out. Moving the patient frequently is not restful for him or her, so any functional design elements that support more rest for the patient are important. A “head well” that offers centralized electrical outlets is an excellent feature that is always present in the most modern and well-conceived hospital rooms. Great hospital design must provide adequate lighting to the patient – this means the best hospital rooms will feature beds that are placed close to windows. Giving patients access to natural light is a great idea – being able to see the outdoors may also be quite inspiring as patients heal in their hospital beds. Without access to natural light, patients may feel sad or lethargic. The best hospital rooms offer natural light, as well as a pleasing color scheme that is designed to be cheery and positive. Warm colors of paint, such as peach, cream, and butter yellow, may be energizing to ill patients – depressing tones, such as greyish-white and dove-grey, should be avoided. Restful shades, such as soothing blues and greens, may also be a good option for well-designed hospital rooms. Lighting and painting choices should be carefully considered to improve the patient care experience. A third characteristic of well-designed hospital rooms is that they are carpeted; the benefits of carpeting placed on hospital room floors are myriad. Carpeting traps fewer pathogenic materials that other types of flooring, and it also provides cushioning and warmth. Patients with carpeted rooms will be less likely to take a tumble and slip; often, tile, rubber, or other types of typical hospital room flooring will be very slippery and rather dangerous for patients. As well, carpeting offers a touch of hominess, which is quite pleasant for patients. Noise reduction, pathogen reduction, and a more pleasant décor are key reasons why carpeting is the number-one choice in the best hospital room designs. Great hospital room design is also about controlling the spread of diseases within the entire hospital – with that in mind, today’s brightest hospital room designers are working hard to add hand sanitizers to their hospital room layouts. These sanitizers, which usually contain a clear, anti-bacterial gel for quick, waterless hand-washing, should be placed on walls or furniture to make it easier for everyone to clean up. Without these pumps or dispensers in place, bacteria and pathogens can be moved around and transferred to patients, staff and visitors. Cleanliness should be priority one in well-designed hospital rooms. Without a well-designed hospital room, patients may be more prone to slow healing, depression, and pathogens. By upgrading hospital rooms to include the design elements listed here, it will be possible to create a more welcoming and functional atmosphere at any health care facility. Further reading – Commercial Blinds