138 ◾ Handbook of Concierge Medical Practice Design
As I work on consulting projects with clinics and hospitals in develop-
ing countries, I’ve been hearing a lot of the phrase “evidence- based design
for healthcare” being discussed. Evidence- based design (EBD) is a relatively
new field, borrowing terminology and ideas from disciplines such asenvi-
ronmental psychology,architecture,neuroscience,andbehavioral economics.
Studies have examined (but not really proven) how the physical environment
can influence well- being, promote healing, relieve patient pain and stress,
and reduce medical errors, infections, and falls. Many hospitals, commu-
nity health centers, and residential care centers are adopting EBD for new
construction, expansion, ...