Rendering courtesy of Barnes-Jewish Hospital
Earlier today, Barnes-Jewish Hospital opened a refurbished emergency department waiting room.
Planning for the space started about six months ago, with construction beginning in early August. Since then, patients have been using a temporary building.
"It's been a few years since we've refreshed the space, and after adding two new triage areas, we needed a more functional flow to the room," says Cynthia Schaus, project engineer at Barnes-Jewish Hospital.
Though the square footage of the room is the same, the new space features calming blue and cream paint, comfortable and sturdy new chairs, "pod" seating arrangements to give patients and their families more private spaces, two-toned wood floors that are designed to improve navigation, and a separate waiting area for triage patients who need immediate attention.
"Typically, a waiting room is designed more for families, but in an emergency department, you have to think more about the patient and patient care," says Schaus. "Any time we design any space within our clinical world, we rely on evidence-based design to make sure we are creating the best environment for patients during the healing process. "
