TREND TALK: HEALTHCARE ARCHITECTURE IN THE POST-COVID-19 ERA

When the pandemic of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) hit in early 2020 with a seismic wave of infected cases globally, and no country was not spared.

Every country responded differently to the crisis, depending on their resources and existing infrastructure facilities.

However, the spread of the disease, as well as its unavoidable health and social consequences, has prompted serious steps to be taken around the world. Lockdowns and quarantines had a significant social and psychological effect on the whole population; the pandemic even triggered cultural changes many families faced tensions as a result of the restrictions imposed during the outbreak.

Medical communities were concerned about an influx of affected patients, a lack of beds, a lack of medical equipment, and understaffed hospitals, to name a few of the many pressing issues.

The current situation can be seen as an opportunity to revitalise a country’s healthcare systems. The following suggestions can be used to accomplish this and enhance the overall healthcare design as a total:

The increasing importance of primary care

Primary care, as the patient’s first point of contact, is critical for assessing an initial diagnosis – preferably before basic disease patterns become complicated and/or life-threatening.

Why should we enhance primary care? More successful treatments; technologically advanced treatments can be promoted through primary care settings and since advanced primary care is given near families and neighbourhoods, it also has a sense of social care.

Planning of space

To address the problem of cross-infection in hospitals, it is necessary to rethink spaces that facilitate healthy socialisation by creating neutral zone or buffer zones.

To ensure the optimal protection of the patients and visitors, critical spaces such as intensive care units and operating theatres must be separated.