When the WellStar Paulding Hospital was being planned in Hiram, Ga., the owners wanted the new facility's design to be centered on two main factors, according to an article on the Becker's Infection Control & Clinical Quality website.
"We said our main focus was to create the safest hospital we can create. Patient experience was the other element," Mark Haney, WellStar Paulding president, said in the article.
The hospital features a range of design elements to enhance patient safety and experience.
To address fall and infection prevention concerns, designers used a standardized floor plan for each room that allows the head of the bed to be placed as close to the bathroom as possible. Sliding doors instead of hinge doors were installed to stabilize patients in case of a fall.
Sinks in patient rooms are angled to allow the caregiver to face the patient and start a conversation upon entering the room. The soap dispensers are electronically monitored and track whether staff members are following proper hand hygiene protocol.
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