title: Moderating role of interior amenities on hospital medical directors' patient-related work stresses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Considering hospital medical directors' work stress, this study aims to examine how interior amenities might moderate the effect of work stress on their health.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have revealed that hospital medical directors-senior physicians in the management positions with high-demand jobs in clinical practices and management-had a lower self-rated health.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a cross-sectional survey study and 737 hospital medical directors in Taiwan were included. A developed and structured questionnaire covered the dimensions of patient-related work stress (i.e., physician-patient relationship stress and patient condition stress), hospital interior amenities (i.e., indoor plants, aquarium, music, art and exhibitions, and private or personalized spaces that are common or surround the workplace of healthcare professionals), and self-rated health status and health complaints. Hierarchical regressions were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hospital medical directors' physician-patient relationship stresses were found to have more negative effects on their self-reported health status and complaints than do their patient condition stresses; however, only indoor plants were found to have moderating effects on their short-term health complaints (p < 0.05). On the other hand, the hospital medical directors' patient condition stresses were negatively related to their short-term health complaints; however, music, art and exhibitions, and private or personalized spaces in the workplaces had moderating effects (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the unavoidable patient-related work stresses imposed on hospital medical directors, some proposed interior amenities can produce buffering effects on work stress to some extent. Future studies could focus on finding alternatives to relieve hospital medical directors' physician-patient relationship work stresses.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Evidence-based design, physicians, privacy and security, satisfaction, work environmentPreferred Citation: Lin, B. Y.-J., Lin, Y.-K., Juan, C.W., Lee, S., Lin, C.-C. (2013). Moderating role of interior amenities on hospital medical directors' patient-related work stresses. Health Environments Research & Design Journal 6(2), pp 77-92.
authors.affiliation: Corresponding Author: Cheng-Chieh Lin, MD, PhD, Dean, College of Medicine and Professor in Aging, Family Medicine, Geriatric Medicine and Health Services Administration, China Medical University; Advisor, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan, ROC; 91 Hsueh-Shih Rd., Taichung, 40402, Taiwan, ROC; cclin@mail.cmuh.org.tw; 886-4-22052121 (ext. 7628, 7629); 886-4-22335695 (fax).
authors.forename: Blossom Yen-Ju
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Yung-Kai
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Chi Wen
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Juan
authors.forename: Suhsing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Cheng-Chieh
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D008486:Physician Executives; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace