Healthcare reform in the US is still in transition, with the end-goal being to provide the highest quality care at the lowest possible cost. Experts anticipate that increased access to care will inevitably lead to more demand being placed on facilities and the existing building infrastructure. Changing the way that care is delivered will no doubt have an impact on space needs, prompting the design of environments that are cost-effective, functional and flexible.

With major healthcare reform underway in all corners of the globe, what role should designers and architects play in rising to its challenges?

Read what three experts who take a personal view from their own territory have to say, including North America, Australia and the UK.

The 6th Design & Health World Congress & Exhibition, which took place in Singapore in 2009, had the goal of spreading knowledge and fostering dialogue between researchers and practitioners in the interdisciplinary field of healthcare design.

The gathering of almost 400 delegates, including architects, designers, health administrators, economists, psychologists, clinicians, nurses, health scientists and government officials from more than 30 countries, to exchange research, design solutions, stimulate discussion for new ideas and find and create business opportunities, demonstrated clearly how healthcare must now be considered within a global context.

Read a review of the 6th Design & Health World Congress & Exhibition here.

The growing interest of multidisciplinary professions in the relationship between design and health was once again demonstrated at the annual Healthcare Design conference, held in 2008 in Washington DC, USA.

More than 3,600 delegates attended to participate in a comprehensive programme of didactic sessions and roundtable discussions. The conference’s aim is to gain new knowledge and understanding of how the design of built environments directly impacts the safety, operation, clinical outcomes and financial success of healthcare facilities now and into the future.

Read a review of the 2008 Healthcare Design event here.

Increasingly recognised as an industry standard in the US, in other areas of the world the jury is still out on the 100% single patient room model of care.

In the Canadian system, existing hospital wards contain an assortment of patient room types, including private, shared and the four-person ward room. But As the US moves towards a private room healthcare model for new construction, does ‘one size’ fit all? Before this design guideline becomes the industry standard, we must consider the issue from both a medical and a design perspective. Are private rooms beneficial for all patient populations? Will this design concept alter important psychological and social aspects which accompany the process of illness and healing? How will this change the experience of hospitalization?

Read several expert opinions that consider when, where and for whom single patient rooms are appropriate.