Evaluating a major innovation in hospital design: workforce implications and impact on patient and staff experiences of all single room hospital accommodation (2015)

Summary

The hospital environment in general and single room accommodation in particular are potentially important factors influencing the quality of the care provided and patient outcomes. Two areas that have received much attention for the effect of single rooms on healthcare quality are infection rates and adverse events.

New hospital design includes more single room accommodation but there is scant and ambiguous evidence relating to the impact on patient safety and staff and patient experiences.

This study from Maben et al. found that both staff and patients perceived advantages and disadvantages in having all single room accommodation in hospitals, but more patients expressed a clear preference for single rooms. Single rooms are associated with higher costs but the difference is marginal over time.