Needs-oriented working environments in hospitals: development and acceptance of the HEMI architecture concept

Abstract

This article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation (GIO) describes the development and evaluation of an architectural concept for the evidence-based design of innovative and user needs-oriented working environments in hospitals. The concept is based on an occupation-independent reassessment of the hospital environment and defines five environmental categories: (H) hands on/off (working with or without direct patient contact), (E) eyes on/off (working with or without indirect patient contact), (M) mind on (concentrated work), mind off (relaxation and regeneration) and (I) interact on/off (working with or without contact with colleagues). The categories provide an indicator of the psycho-emotional distress and cognitive demands on employees and determine the architectural design that responds to these indicators. In contrast to the present German hospital design, the (HEMI) architectural concept breaks through outdated organizational structures, addresses the increasing distress of employees and formulates spatial solutions. The acceptance of the central work environment envisaged by the concept, among other things, is high in a nationwide survey of hospital physicians and dependent on age, income and years of service.