How to Design Healthcare Facilities to Meet Women’s Needs
With advances in women’s healthcare accelerating, female-centric design approaches are becoming more common in the healthcare industry.
Emphasizing family-focused spaces is crucial in new healthcare design given that women are often primary caregivers. This care approach might involve having larger exam areas and waiting rooms. For extended stays, such as those at a children’s hospital, siblings also need space to play and avoid being in a room filled with medical equipment.
Creating inviting environments with inclusive design features are vital for fostering trust in a healthcare environment. This is especially significant for women, who have often faced challenges in being taken seriously in medical settings compared to men. For instance, providing a range of furniture styles and types can make individuals of different body types feel comfortable.
As a key aspect in building trust, privacy is a main pillar of this new era of female-centric healthcare design. The option of privacy is often essential, especially in postpartum environments. Highlighting the importance for appropriate privacy measures ensures that patients who have had difficult childbirth experiences or losses no longer have to feel uncomfortable in crowded rooms with other families celebrating the arrival of healthy infants. Moreover, many aspects of maternal bonding are intimate. Whether bottle-feeding or breastfeeding an infant for the first time, mothers often appreciate having privacy during these moments.
