New study on how built design impacts healthcare

A new method of assessing the impact of design is hoping to make headway in changing the way we try to understand how design can influence health. The researchers will do "evidence-based research," which is essentially activity mapping, of 30 patients, 20 nurses and an undetermined number of doctors over 2 weeks. The information will be added to interviews and participant surveys in this $200,000 research study that will take place over 2 years. Most significant is that the subjects will be observed in one health care facility and then in another, their input compared for accuracy in terms of what they told the researchers how they would use the space and how they actually use the space.

Sounds obvious, but it's never been done before because you rarely have a chance to shadow the same group of people in two different environments.

"Architects await new research process."
The Globe and Mail