Working on a health care project?

Hospitals

It’s well known that our surroundings have a huge impact on our health. Medical studies have shown that health outcomes are greatly improved when hospitals are specifically designed to support a patient’s wellbeing. The space must also be practically designed for medical staff to conduct their life-saving work and for visitors to feel calm, comfortable and safe. Easy navigation throughout the facility is vital.

Laboratories and research facilities

Lab designs are experiencing many new trends from flexible open laboratories that can keep up with ever-changing lab technologies to the use of new ‘in-between’ social spaces designed to encourage spontaneous interactions between research teams. Architects and designers undertaking new laboratory facilities projects need to identify solutions to build effective “Team Science” oriented communities.

Clinics, dental and out-patient facilities

The healthcare industry is embracing the trend of moving out-patient services from traditional, larger hospitals to more consumer-friendly environments. In some cases, this trend has been shown to create operational efficiencies and improve clinical outcomes, such as decreased re-admittance rates.

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Anti-bacterial

Modern hospitals should be designed to reduce the risk of transfer of infection by personnel. Patients carry microorganisms on their bodies and the items surrounding the patient (bed, furniture, equipment, etc.) become contaminated with these microorganisms if the patient spends more than a few hours in their room. That’s why it’s important to have easy to clean surfaces for any medical space.

Comply with standards

The Australasian Health Facility Guidelines (AusHFG) provide information to assist health services and design teams plan and design health facilities. The AusHFG seek to support the delivery of optimal patient care through provision of an appropriate physical environment.

Durability

Durability often goes hand-in-hand with low maintenance. Usually a durable material is also a low-maintenance material. Durability and low maintenance are considered together as a criterion for product selection. From a life-cycle standpoint, the longer-lasting building’s higher economic and environmental costs can usually be justified by its durability.

Hospital Furniture

The top priority in designing hospital furniture is cleanliness and infection control. Using high-performance materials with antibacterial protection is vital. Surfaces such as our High Pressure Laminate and Stratificato compact laminate do not absorb spills, retard the growth of bacteria and are easily wiped clean, making them ideal for use in high-risk areas. They also have the added bonus of being aesthetically pleasing and flexible to blend with any interior scheme.

Reception and Nurse Stations

Reception desks and nurse stations are often the first point of contact on a ward. The counter should stand out and be easily identifiable. This can be achieved with our custom-designed digital print surfaces or our other highly versatile options, in a range of colours and textures to match your overall scheme. As a high-traffic area, the bench also needs to be durable, with low maintenance costs.

Lifts & lift surrounds

A lift can be one of the most important elements in a hospital. It can literally save lives as well as move people and goods. It also usually serves as a source of information, with a directory of departments and floors. Whether you want your lift to make a statement or blend into its surroundings, our extensive range of finishes will meet your needs. We can even create a fully customised design for your specific interior design.

Waiting Areas and Wayfinding

The hospital waiting room is often the first impression for a patient and can be a place where family and friends spend extensive time. Today’s designers know that surroundings have a huge impact on our mood and are moving towards creating waiting rooms that are comforting, comfortable, calming and provide easy navigation around other parts of the hospital. Using accent colours or custom designed surfaces that tie in with department corridors and reception desks is a great idea to aid wayfinding.

Labs

Laboratory counters are the lifeblood of a medical facility. They are used for education, inspection, research and development, technology and testing, as well as storing equipment and tools. For a medical lab bench, look for something that has high bacterial, chemical and fungal resistance, is durable, waterproof and scratch resistant. We recommend our lab range by ABET Laminati.

Doors

Hospital doors are used quite differently to doors in other areas such as the home or office. They are used very frequently, often at high speed and sometimes need to be opened by just a shoulder or elbow. This means doors need to be low maintenance and durable. The material used should also be antibacterial, to reduce the risk of infection transfer from the high amount of contact. Available colours and textures are plentiful to tie in with the overall scheme and come in a door sheet size.

Hospitals Gallery

Feature Project

High pressure laminates from the ABET Laminati range were specified for the interiors of the Adelaide Women’s and Children’s Hospital.

Architects GHD Woodhead (Adelaide) selected 464 Pale Yellow and 482 Blue Panarea, both in a Sei finish, from the ABET Laminati Colours collection, combining a contemporary look with a playful vibe. Sei is the historical ABET Laminati finish, which has a matte look and a pleasant feel. ABET Laminati distributor Surface Squared supplied the high pressure laminates for the project, which was executed by Mossop Construction + Interiors.

Image by: Peta-Marie Matschoss, Mossop Construction + Interiors.

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