Whether your facility is building a replacement hospital, giving a face lift to an existing space or preparing for a complete unit renovation, the main three factors which will insure a successful project are: design, design and design. After the floor plan has been created and wonderful interior finishes have been selected, chances are something resembling art will go on the wall. A good art consultant will make sure that art is not arbitrarily selected for the walls. We need to work with the architect and the hospital administrators to tailor an art program to suit the community served, the function of the unit and the philosophy and vision that the hospital wants to convey. We need to keep up with the latest research on art in hospitals and healthcare design trends through continuing education, attending art shows and industry round tables. This type of research allows the consultant to understand which types of images reduce stress and promote healing in certain patient populations or in certain medical arenas. In other words, a geriatric unit will require different art than a pediatrics unit; a heart transplant unit will look different than a birthing unit or an emergency department.

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