Healthcare Design In The Post-Vaccine Era

Architect Ravideep Singh dwells on how healthcare design should adapt itself for a post-pandemic, post-vaccine scenario

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the definition of normal for many of us. Hospitals around the world have crumbled under the weight of the viral disease. The uncertainty has altered the way we live, travel, work as well as our perceptions about health and safety. Technology has brought some efficiency and improvement in healthcare, and it’s time that designers relook at the design of these healthcare facilities. While some of these alterations may be temporary, a few fundamental changes in our approach to healthcare design will help sustain the pressures of future outbreaks.

The post-vaccine healthcare design strategy needs to broaden its horizon beyond hospitals to institute a healthier and more resilient population with better endurance against infections, ailments or future pandemics. During the design and planning phase of a healthcare ecosystem, designers, developers, policymakers and other stakeholders must consider two key principles—preventive health and wellness, and equity in care delivery.

To effectuate communal health and wellness, hospitals will need to focus on community integration and cultural penetration. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and designers should collaborate to design communal spaces and programs that will encourage interaction and educate the community about their health and wellness, such as maintaining healthy diets, self-monitoring, etc. The goal must be to bring about a cultural reform such that the implementation of wellness strategies becomes a norm rather than a mere frill. Building certifications such as WELL, FITWEL, etc, should also be made statutory instead of optional.