title: Hacking the hospital environment: young adults designing youth-friendly hospital rooms together with young people with cancer experiences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a need for youth-friendly hospital environments as the ward environment may affect both patient satisfaction and health outcomes.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To involve young people in designing youth-friendly ward environment.
  
  
  METHODS
  We arranged a design competition lasting 42 h (Hackathon). Students in architecture, design, engineering, communication and anthropology participated (27 young adults) - forming eight groups. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with current or former cancer experience participated as sparring partners. We provided workspace and food during the weekend. The groups presented their products to a jury and relevant stakeholders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The groups created eight unique design concepts. The young designers were extremely flexible listening to ideas and experiences from the young patients, which led to common features including individual and flexible design, privacy in two-bed wardrooms and social contact with other hospitalized AYA. The winning project included an integrated concept for both wardrooms and the AYA day room, including logos and names for the rooms and an 'energy wall' in the day room.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A hackathon event was an effective mode of youth participation. The design concepts and ideas were in line with current evidence regarding pleasing hospital environment and youth-friendly inpatient facilities and may be applicable to other young patients.
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Kirsten A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Boisen
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boisen
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Stine Legarth
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Thomsen
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Simon Meggers
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Matthiesen
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Maiken
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hjerming
authors.affiliation: .
authors.forename: Pernille Grarup
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hertz
keywords: adolescents and young adults; youth friendly environment; youth participation