Bibliometric Analysis of Hospital Design: Knowledge Mapping Evolution and Research Trends

Abstract

Hospital design plays a pivotal role in improving patient outcomes, enhancing clinical efficiency, and strengthening infection control. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, research in this field has expanded significantly, showing a marked trend toward interdisciplinary integration. In this study, bibliometric analysis was conducted using CiteSpace (version 6.2.R3) as the primary tool, with Excel and Tableau (version 2024.3) as supplementary software. A total of 877 documents on hospital design published between 1932 and 2025 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection and analyzed from multiple perspectives. The analysis examined publication trends, collaborative networks, co-citation structures, disciplinary evolution, and keyword dynamics. The results indicate that the field has entered a phase of rapid development since 2019. Global collaboration networks are becoming increasingly multipolar; yet, institutional and author-level connections remain decentralized, with relatively low overall density. Evidence-based design (EBD) continues to serve as the theoretical foundation of the field, while emerging themes such as healing environments, biophilic design, and patient-centered spatial strategies have become major research hotspots. Increasingly, the field reflects deeper integration across disciplines, including architecture, medicine, nursing, and environmental science. This study provides a clearer picture of the developmental trajectory, knowledge base, and future directions of hospital design research, offering systematic insights and theoretical guidance for both scholars and practitioners.