Women’s Health in Healthcare Design

Women’s opinions and well-being are being taken into consideration in women’s health in healthcare design. Never has there been a place that was designed specifically for women based upon the opinions of the patients. Now there is such a thing and there are more on the horizon. To read more about this continue below, for the full article click here.

How Did This Start

This started with the launch of an app in 2019 for all women. It was an app to collect information about what things were missing regarding women’s health. Healthcare designers were planning on analyzing the data and making changes based on the information they received. Going to the doctor or any healthcare facility can already have people on edge. Anything that designers can do to make the space feel safe should be automatic.

“It was important to Tia that we have a space that patients are drawn to so that they stay on top of their health,”

– Alda Ly, founder, and principal of Alda Ly Architecture

Creating One Stop Women’s Care

One of the major comments that came back from the app is the fact that women can’t get full care in one place. They must go to one doctor in an office for one thing and then drive to another place. Unlike women, men can have all their needs met in one office.

One recent example is the new 14-story University Health Women’s and Children’s Hospital in San Antonio, which will be the only hospital in South Texas exclusively focused on the unique needs of women when it opens in 2023. Designed by ZGF Architects in association with Marmon Mok, the 698,000-square-foot facility includes expanded gynecological oncology care, a women’s urgent care center, a labor and delivery suite with 20 private rooms and its own waiting area, postpartum rooms, and a fully staffed “Mother’s Place” on the first floor with five lactation rooms. (Source)

Healthcare Designs for Women

Along with having everything women need for care within easy access to them comes the design piece. Walking into a building with blank white walls can lead some people to have more stress. Going to a doctor can already be stressful, you don’t need to add to it. Healthcare designers are looking for ways to help make doctors’ office’s more inviting and friendly.

For example, in a project at St. Clair Breast Center in Bethel Park, Penn., Greene has incorporated textured mosaic tiles and a wallcovering with a subtle reflective pattern next to a variety of light sources, including recessed pendant fixtures and wall sconces, to create a play of light. (Source)

“We deeply believe the view [of women’s healthcare] is changing, that it isn’t going to be taboo anymore or second tier; it’s actually going to be pretty core to healthcare at large.”

Allie Ball, Vice President at Tia

If you enjoyed this article check out Healthcare Design For Teens and Young Adults, Healthcare Design That Boosts Sports Performance, and Healthcare Design that Captures the Essence of a Community.

Source: DiNardo, Anne. “Refreshing Women’s Health by Design – HCD Magazine.” HCD Magazine – Architecture & Interior Design Trends for Healthcare Facilities, 5 July 2022, https://healthcaredesignmagazine.com/trends/refreshing-womens-health-by-design/.