The Architecture Of Safety: An Emerging Priority For Improving Patient Safety

There is a lack of awareness regarding the pervasive influence of the built environment on caregiving activities, and how its design could reduce risks for patients and providers. This article presents a narrative review summarizing key findings that link health care facility design to key targeted safety outcomes: health care-associated infections, falls, and medication errors. It describes how facility design should be considered in conjunction with quality improvement legislation; projects under way in health systems; and the work of guideline-setting organizations, funding agencies, industry, and educational institutions. The article also charts a path forward that consolidates existing challenges and suggests what can be done about them to create safe and high-quality health care environments.