Enjoy home ambience in hospital

‘Boring’, ‘scary’ and ‘too dull’ are some of the ways most people describe hospital rooms. However, this is set to change soon. The white washed walls that bring gloom and create a feeling of doom will be replaced by magnificent artworks that distract the mind.

In place of the suffocating antiseptics that make you feel more sick, an array of floral scents that is reminiscent of a woodland forest will waft through the rooms.

By 2050, about 50 per cent of the population in the developed world will be chronically ill, thus the need to create welcoming hospital environments

Even the country’s largest referral health facility, Kenyatta National Hospital has taken the cue and is now folding its sleeves to begin rebranding.

This 21st Century look was a heated topic at the Radiological Society Conference in North America (RSNA), the world’s largest annual medical trade fair.

Chronically ill

Philips’ General Manager Africa Peter van de Ven says scientists are researching and developing medical tools that will besides offering treatment and diagnostic also address the question of ambience.

Peter says statistics show that by 2050, 50 per cent of the developed world is projected to be chronically ill.

"Chronic diseases are going to be a big problem and it is important for governments to be prepared," cautions Peter.

"We have currently focused so much on HIV and Aids, tuberculosis and malaria and forgotten the non-communicable disease like diabetes."

The World Health Organisation has also warned of projected global deaths from cancer, heart disease and strokes.

Patients are also becoming more dynamic in the sense that they are demanding better care and a second opinion.

Peter says Philips and other companies are now focusing on the hospital environment.

Most of the new gadgets Philips showcased at the RSNA conference focused on allowing people and technology to interact in a more comfortable and natural way.

He disclosed that they are working with various health care facilities worldwide and exploring the same in Kenyan hospitals to customise ambient design aspects around the specific desires and needs of the patients.

Called ‘Ambient Experience’, the concept integrates architecture, design and enabling technologies such as dynamic lighting, video projections and sound to allow patients to personalise their environment in a relaxing atmosphere.

A patient can select room themes and sounds, empowering them to be involved in their own care.

The designers also take special care to address the needs of the clinical staff by transforming the workplace to become efficient and pleasant.

Peter explained that initially, the ambient experience was designed in order to assist children patients.

Imaging procedure

"Paediatric patients are uptight in imaging exams and if you make them relax, you increase the chances of getting quality images and reduce the risk of repetitions," says Peter.

A child selects a theme and their attention is arrested as the imaging procedure is being conducted and hence no interruption or risk of repeats.

In the past, children were sedated for imaging exams but the unveiled innovations are said to reduce the likelihood of this by 30 per cent.

Scientists hope that ultimately, these technologies will entirely remove the need for sedation.

Globally, more than 300 hospitals have installed the Philips Ambient Experience in a range of clinical environments.

The KNH Head of Communication Simon Ithai says they are aware of the global move to improve the ambience and they have already began to make changes.

Ithai says they are rebranding KNH’s internal and external environments to make it more patient friendly.

For instance, they have set up a garden in the doctors plaza for the patients and their families to relax and interact.

"This ambience provides psycho-social support for patients and their family," he explains. "We also had the Juja Preparatory School do some mosaic work on some walls in KNH and this is an attraction to many people," expresses Ithai.

There has also been the introduction of sweet scented acceptable detergents.

Ithai says the Israeli Government has also renovated the peadiatric cancer ward to make it prettier for the children.

On its part, Equity Bank is going to do KNH’s external gardening by planting flowers in a bid to beautify the facility.

Brookside is doing the hospital’s facelift to get rid of the dull and gloomy facade that KNH has always donned.

Currently, Ithai says KNH is looking for more partnerships especially in the areas of imaging rooms where CT scans, MRIs among other tests are conducted.

In addition to these, he says they are switching the way care is delivered — from treating the disease to treating the patient.

This move, he says, will see health care becom more humane and so the patient can open up in case of a problem.

"A patient will for example be confident enough to return to the hospital and tell the doctor if they feel the drugs they are taking are reacting negatively."