The American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) has released the latest case study in its Impact of Design Series, highlighting a humanistic healthcare space that prioritizes the surrounding community and reflects the values of the Brentwood neighborhood. Unity Health Care Brentwood, designed by Gensler, was recently recognized as a winner of the ASID Outcome of Design Awards (OODA), a testament to its dedication of pre- and post-occupancy research to quantify the impact of design. The case study highlights how Unity’s new design enhances employee and patient experience, invokes a stronger feeling of community, and improves overall well-being through compassionate care.
Founded in 1985, Unity Health Care focuses on a team-based approach to encourage patients to become active participants in their own healthcare. Unity provides a full range of services as a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) - from pregnancy and infancy to the senior years. With a mission to promote healthier communities through comprehensive health and human services, regardless of ability to pay, Unity’s goal was to use design as a tool to help better serve patients, employees, and visitors.
“Unity Brentwood embodies how design impacts lives in a multitude of ways,” remarks Randy Fiser, Hon. FASID, ASID CEO. “As a leading example of innovative healthcare design, Unity Brentwood designed with intention to measurably improve the patient experience. Their design and research process was notably inclusive and collaborative, and we look forward to seeing how these solutions continue to benefit and strengthen the Brentwood community.”
Unity Health Care Brentwood utilized the following solutions to achieve their design goals:
To transform the space, Unity Health Care Brentwood partnered with global design firm Gensler and fabrics company Sunbrella Contract, which served as a research partner. Together, the three organizations initiated research on the registration and waiting period, exploring how to better serve patients and visitors, enhance the staff experience, and strengthen bonds with the Brentwood community. Key design outcomes included: new furniture arrangement increased communication among patients by 100 percent, art representative of the community increased staff happiness by 45 percent; complaints about wait time decreased by 25 percent (despite no change in perceived wait times). Additionally, a more diverse seat selection and increased spacing between them added seven seats and resulted in increased utilization.
Learn more about and download the case brief here.