'Hospital of the Future' Report Urges Maj...(obust process improvement tools to impro...),Health

Staffing

Work force shortages have persistently plagued hospitals over the last several years. To address the fact that demand for certain health care professionals outstrips supply and to meet the needs of patients in the future, the report makes the following recommendations:

• Establish fair migration and compensation policies for countries facing shortages of health care workers
• Expand health professional education and training capacity to accommodate the growing demand for health care workers
• Create workplace cultures that can attract and retain health care workers
• Develop professional knowledge and skills necessary in a more complex health care environment
• Educate health professionals to deliver team-based care
• Develop the competence of health professionals to care for geriatric patients

Hospital Design

Hundreds of studies have revealed hospital design characteristics that work for improving patient safety and health care outcomes, and providing a supportive environment for hospital staff. Yet, most new hospitals are not being built "safe by design." To achieve this goal, the report calls for the following actions:

• Improve safety with evidence-based design principles such as single rooms, decentralized nursing stations and noise-reducing materials
• Address high-level priorities, such as infection control and emergency preparedness, in hospital design and construction
• Include clinicians and other staff, patients and families in the design process to improve staff work flow and patient safety, and create patient-centered environments
• Design flexibility into the building to accommodate advances in
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