Exploring Hospital Physical Environment Influencing Users First Impressions of the Healthcare Organizations: A Conceptual Framework Based on Literature Review

Abstract

Purpose:

The aim of the study was to examine literature on first impressions and how physical design factors influence users’ first impressions.

Background:

Engineering a first impression through physical design has been successfully used in the context of US federal buildings and retail. A patient’s first impression is important as it affects their downstream behaviors and experiences. However, little is known about it in the context of healthcare design.

Method:

This study is part of a broader literature review that searched for studies on the first impression phenomenon, which were examined in a cross-disciplinary literature review, along with trade/professional journals/magazines. Three databases were in-depth searched—Scopus, Web of Science, and HaPI along with Google Scholar search and hand searching. A total of 187 satisfied articles and three books were reviewed through three phases to obtain an understanding of the first impressions and the factors affecting it.

Results:

After the in-depth review of the theories behind the first impression, the authors proposed a conceptual framework explaining the concept of the first impression and engineering it through physical design. The findings from published articles suggest five conceptual steps between early information pickup and early impression formation: (1) exposure time, (2) information pickup, (3) cognition, (4) emotion, and (5) judgment.

Conclusions:

The findings show a causal association between one’s initial information pickup during the first 5 min of exposure to a target and the formation of a first impression. It suggests a crucial role of physical design of the environment, including in healthcare facilities.