title: Interior design for ambulatory care facilities: how to reduce stress and anxiety in patients and families.
abstract: The following article illustrates some important factors to consider when designing ambulatory care facilities (ACFs), and focuses on how wayfinding, noise control, privacy, security, color and lighting, general ambience, textures, and nature can have a profound influence on patient and family stress, consumer satisfaction, health and well-being. Other important design issues: convenience and accessibility, accommodation to various populations, consumer and family focus, patient education, image, as well as current equipment needs and future growth are examined in light of the prevailing trends in health care delivery. In sum, this feature explores the important stress-reducing and health-promoting elements involved in successful ACF design.
authors.affiliation: S/L/A/M Collaborative, Glastonbury, CT, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Frasca-Beaulieu
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000458:organization & administration*; D001007:Anxiety / Q000517:prevention & control; D004779:Environment Design; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings / Q000592:standards*; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000458:organization & administration; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D018907:Privacy; D012637:Security Measures; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014481:United States