Introduction: The sudden new Coronavirus pandemic of 2019 has brought out various difficulties in managing and organizing hospital spaces on a national and international scale to cope with a large number of critically ill patients. Among these, the ability to update, adapt, maintain, or expand spaces while maintaining a high quality of care and attention to the patient was lacking. Therefore, this research thesis arises from the need to clarify how health structures can best prepare themselves to face pandemics, such as that of COVID-19. Specifically, the thesis deals with drafting guidelines that guide healthcare planners in developing design solutions to welcome and effectively assist infected patients and protect healthcare personnel, other patients, and the public from contagion inside the accommodation facility. Methodology: The study of the relationship between architecture and health in hospitals for infectious diseases and learning about past pandemics through the existing literature has helped highlight the lessons that have proved to be more effective and suitable for containing the current virus. Furthermore, the consultation and comparison of the health tools already existing on the subject allowed to confirm the correctness and integrate other criteria to those previously identified. However, given the contemporary theme, this tool’s drafting was possible mainly thanks to the analysis of the spatial, functional, and organizational experiences and strategies gained in these months of commitment at the forefront of some selected Italian health architectures. The in-depth analysis conducted through a detailed analysis with questionnaires and direct interviews made it possible to carry out the intent. Results: The most effective and recurrent strategies that have supported health action in the fight against COVID-19 have been brought together and highlighted in the thesis results. The following were identified: the environments and spaces needed to manage the emergency; the timing and size required for conversion to COVID-19 hospital; the elements for correct spatial control of the virus; increases in personnel, specific areas, and materials; the management of patient access and needs in all phases of the disease; solutions to integrate aspects of humanization in the care spaces; the usefulness of collaboration with extra-hospital facilities and the identification of adequate spatial literacy and wayfinding capable of guiding user behavior. Conclusions: The guidelines developed and the collection of practical strategies can be an element to support hospital organizations’ decisions in the event of future pandemics. In conclusion, the practical implications, the limitations of the study, and the research perspectives at the end of the thesis were explained.
Introduzione: L’improvvisa pandemia da nuovo Coronavirus del 2019 ha fatto emergere diverse difficoltà nella gestione ed organizzazione degli spazi ospedalieri su scala nazionale ed internazionale per far fronte ad un grande numero di pazienti in condizioni critiche. Tra queste, è mancata la facoltà di aggiornare, adattare, mantenere o espandere gli spazi mantenendo alte qualità di cura ed attenzione al paziente. Pertanto, tale tesi di ricerca nasce dalla necessità di fare chiarezza su come le strutture sanitarie possano prepararsi al meglio per fronteggiare pandemie come quella da COVID-19. Nello specifico, la tesi si occupa di redigere delle linee guida che permettano di guidare i progettisti sanitari nell’elaborazione di soluzioni progettuali sia per accogliere ed assistere efficacemente i pazienti infetti che per proteggere il personale sanitario, gli altri pazienti ed il pubblico dal contagio all’interno della struttura ricettiva. Metodologia: Lo studio del rapporto tra architettura e salute negli ospedali per malattie infettive, oltre all’apprendimento delle pandemie passate tramite la letteratura esistente, ha aiutato ad evidenziare le lezioni che si sono rivelate più efficaci ed idonee per contenere anche l’attuale virus. Inoltre, la consultazione ed il confronto dei tools sanitari già esistenti sul tema, ha permesso di confermare la correttezza ed integrare altri criteri a quelli precedentemente individuati. Tuttavia dato il tema così contemporaneo, la stesura di questo strumento è stata possibile principalmente grazie all’analisi delle esperienze e strategie spaziali, funzionali, organizzative maturate in questi mesi di impegno in prima linea da alcune architetture per la salute italiane selezionate. L’approfondimento che è stato svolto tramite un analisi di dettaglio con questionari ed interviste dirette, ha reso possibile portare a termine l’intento. Risultati: Le strategie più efficaci e ricorrenti che hanno sostenuto l’azione sanitaria nella lotta contro il COVID-19 sono state riunite ed evidenziate nei risultati della tesi. Sono stati individuati: gli ambienti e gli spazi necessari per gestire l’emergenza; le tempistiche e le dimensioni richieste per la conversione in ospedale COVID-19; gli elementi per un corretto controllo spaziale del virus; gli incrementi di personale, aree specifiche e materiale; la gestione degli accessi e delle esigenze del paziente in tutte le fasi della malattia; le soluzioni per integrare aspetti di umanizzazione negli spazi di cura; l’utilità della collaborazione con strutture extra ospedaliere e l’identificazione di un alfabetizzazione spaziale e di wayfinding adeguate in grado di guidare il comportamento degli utenti. Conclusioni: Le linee guida sviluppate e la raccolta di strategie efficaci possono essere elemento per supportare le decisioni delle organizzazioni ospedaliere in caso di future pandemie. In conclusione, sono state esplicitate le implicazioni pratiche, le limitazioni dello studio e le prospettive di ricerca in chiusura della tesi.
Learning from COVID-19. Meta-design indications to support health facilities to respond to future epidemic events
Brusamolin, Erica
2019/2020
Abstract
Introduction: The sudden new Coronavirus pandemic of 2019 has brought out various difficulties in managing and organizing hospital spaces on a national and international scale to cope with a large number of critically ill patients. Among these, the ability to update, adapt, maintain, or expand spaces while maintaining a high quality of care and attention to the patient was lacking. Therefore, this research thesis arises from the need to clarify how health structures can best prepare themselves to face pandemics, such as that of COVID-19. Specifically, the thesis deals with drafting guidelines that guide healthcare planners in developing design solutions to welcome and effectively assist infected patients and protect healthcare personnel, other patients, and the public from contagion inside the accommodation facility. Methodology: The study of the relationship between architecture and health in hospitals for infectious diseases and learning about past pandemics through the existing literature has helped highlight the lessons that have proved to be more effective and suitable for containing the current virus. Furthermore, the consultation and comparison of the health tools already existing on the subject allowed to confirm the correctness and integrate other criteria to those previously identified. However, given the contemporary theme, this tool’s drafting was possible mainly thanks to the analysis of the spatial, functional, and organizational experiences and strategies gained in these months of commitment at the forefront of some selected Italian health architectures. The in-depth analysis conducted through a detailed analysis with questionnaires and direct interviews made it possible to carry out the intent. Results: The most effective and recurrent strategies that have supported health action in the fight against COVID-19 have been brought together and highlighted in the thesis results. The following were identified: the environments and spaces needed to manage the emergency; the timing and size required for conversion to COVID-19 hospital; the elements for correct spatial control of the virus; increases in personnel, specific areas, and materials; the management of patient access and needs in all phases of the disease; solutions to integrate aspects of humanization in the care spaces; the usefulness of collaboration with extra-hospital facilities and the identification of adequate spatial literacy and wayfinding capable of guiding user behavior. Conclusions: The guidelines developed and the collection of practical strategies can be an element to support hospital organizations’ decisions in the event of future pandemics. In conclusion, the practical implications, the limitations of the study, and the research perspectives at the end of the thesis were explained.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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https://hdl.handle.net/10589/171085