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The patient room of the future
NBBJ designers have developed a patient room concept that combines ideas of virtual and personal connectivity with the efficiency and flexibility of microapartment design. Read the related article "Designing hospitals for the millennial generation."
The room’s most-compact configuration provides ample space for consultations among the care team, including the patient and family. A large video screen on the wall can be used for telemedicine or to display patient health information.
The concept room has the bed clearances of an intensive care room. The reconfigurable design converts the 20 to 30 percent of floor area that often goes unused in a universal room into a zone of amenities along the footwall.
The economy of the design and the value it places on family relationships are intended to appeal to baby boomers, as well. At mealtimes, a dining table that seats as many as four adults can accommodate family and friends.
When the intensive care clearances aren’t needed, a double bed can be pulled out of the wall to provide a good night’s sleep for family members.