Architecture and Planning ETDs

Publication Date

12-7-1978

Abstract

An analysis of visits to emergency rooms reveals that the patient load responds to unpredictable variables which exert a profound influence on growth and role and may preclude reliable projections of future space needs. In addition, emergent, urgent and non-urgent patient loads exhibit differential growth rates. An analysis of current design models reveals that they are not designed to react easily through expansion or remodeling to changes in patient census and/or types of patients treated and role in health care delivery. A tripartite conceptual design model is developed that is responsive to these conditions. Important differences in patient and staff needs and priorities are identified and used to generate environmental design criteria. The emotional, physical and social needs of occupants are identified through questionnaire, observation and interview and are specifically incorporated in the development of the design model. Distinctions are made among the three categories of patient care and the treatment settings required by each. Further refinement of the model is based on the identification of issues suggested by the ethnic, socio-economic and environmental backgrounds of patients treated in a public teaching hospital which are applied to the model to optimize user satisfaction. A limited application of the design model is made to the Bernalillo County Medical Center.

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Architecture

Level of Degree

Masters

First Committee Member (Chair)

Don Paul Schlegel

Second Committee Member

Max D. Bennett

Third Committee Member

Robert Carl Cohlmeyer

Fourth Committee Member

Margaret Moore

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