Ergonomic Intervention in Hospital Architecture

Abstract

This chapter explores the ergonomic intervention in hospital architecture and outlines the results of professional practice and research in the field of ergonomics and hospital architecture presented at the Triennial International Ergonomics Association (IEA) Congress 2006. This is a relatively recent and innovative practice, which has led to some interesting breakthroughs in a number of countries. Ergonomics as a discipline has a major role to play in the design process of hospital buildings; overlap or competition with traditional design professions is not an issue. Ergonomics provides useful, complementary expertise that improves end results. Participatory ergonomics seems to be a very effective method for improving the architectural design process. The chapter discusses that caregivers and top management are very pleased. In fact, there appear to be far fewer post-construction changes. Ergonomic intervention in design projects is a relatively recent phenomenon. The public and building professionals are not very familiar with this discipline or its scope and most have a very limited view. Intervention in architectural design projects challenges the scope of traditional ergonomic practice as limited to the workstation. The complexity of hospital architectural projects, the large number of parties involved, and the financial and political stakes all require a much broader outlook and development of new methods.