This section lists recommended evidence-based design and operational strategies sorted by different points within the patient experience.

Click here to see strategies sorted by the different phases of the design process.

Download the full list of design strategies sorted by Patient Experience [pdf]

The Patient Experience Defined

A changing paradigm of ambulatory care is a shift from an older one-size-fits-all, reactive and hierarchical approach that focuses on sickness, to a more recent integrated, iterative patient-centered approach. The patient centered model of care focuses on providing the best care to patients throughout their healthcare experience. Recent advances in ambulatory care clinics (ACCs) are focused on gathering information from patient-centered and family-centered initiatives in participating practices to see how best to improve patient and staff outcomes.

At the core of such initiatives, among other features, is an increased emphasis on timely access to information, improved channels of communication between clinicians and patients, and continuity of care services. Efforts that address a patient-centered approach explore the benefits of health information technology – for example, clinical electronic medical records or the portability of personal medical care information using USB technology.

Part of this integrated approach also includes an examination of the physical environmental context of ACCs, envisioning new spaces responsive to the new paradigm – flexible, multi-purpose, technology-enabled spaces that meet the needs of visitors and staff.

The Design of the Physical Environment Impacts the Patient Experience

The patient experience in a community health center or primary care clinic typically involves the following sequential steps:

→ accessing the facility
→ checking in (which includes registration and waiting)
→ examination/consultation
→ procedure (which can include lab, pharmacy, and/or counseling)
→ checking out

During each of these steps patients and visitors interact not only with different clinic staff members but the physical environment. These interactions, whether positive or negative, define their experience and can either help or hinder the process of providing them with information and the support they need to be active participants in their own care. In each phase, a combination of physical (built) environmental factors, organizational factors and interpersonal factors interactively contribute to the patient’s overall experience.

Similarly, the physical environment can help increase staff effectiveness in providing care, reducing errors, increasing job satisfaction, and reducing turnover.

Recommended Design and Operational Strategies for Clinics

Even as a burgeoning internet creates immediate and speedy access to health-related information pertinent to ACC users, the information that demonstrates how the physical environment impacts patient and staff outcomes in ACCs, particularly, community health centers has never been consolidated meaningfully until now. The review of literature available on this site fills this gap.

The diagram below shows recommended design and operational strategies derived from research conducted by The Center for Health Design to establish best practices for clinics. Click on the links above to see the recommended strategies for each step of the patient experience.