Healthcare Facilities: Current Trends and Future Forecasts

The Academy Journal is published by the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH). New and renovated healthcare facilities are being created for: hospitals attempting to reduce operating costs, or position themselves for managed care contracts; investing in new types of buildings and healthcare services; rebuilding hospitals for an increasing number of outpatient services; upgrading existing healthcare facilities to accommodate medical technologies; creating therapeutic healthcare environments; and, creating health facilities to increase patient satisfaction. This article addresses some of these medical megatrends, demonstrating how the new strategies and philosophies of healthcare will translate into the next generation of medical care facilities.