The study aims to explore and preliminarily address the needs of users in the diagnostic imaging departments. The identified needs have been translated into initial design concepts for a proposed layout of diagnostic imaging departments, informed by systematic literature review to address the requirements of patients, nurses, technologists, and radiologists. The research examines the potential influence of these design concepts on fulfilling users’ needs.
Background
The imaging department is recognized as a main diagnostic unit in hospitals. Nearly all patient categories, including inpatients, outpatients, and emergency patients, utilize this department, as do its staff members.
Methods
A proposed layout for the department has been designed to address the demands of patients and staff while simplifying the flow of various patient kinds. Fifty experts, including healthcare designers, technologists, and radiologists in Saudi Arabia, evaluated this proposal through a questionnaire survey.
Results
The findings demonstrate that the proposal could fulfill patients’ requirements for flow organization (88%), privacy (78%), and reduced travel distance (70%), while also addressing staff demands for patient observation in waiting rooms (88%), travel efficiency (82%), and confidentiality (94%). This layout additionally supports family presence (78%), can improve the acoustic environment (86%), and enables daylight (92%).
Conclusion
This study presents a layout for the imaging department that would potentially address the requirements of patients and staff; hence, it can enhance the healthcare environment within these facilities.
AdjeiA. N. A.DonkorA.WiafeY. A.Anyitey-KokorI. C.HydeE. (2024). Elements of person-centred diagnostic imaging care in low-and middle-income countries: A systematic review. Radiography, 30(1), 394–407. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2023.12.016
2.
AkmalA.LaeequeB.NiaziN.Khaleeq-ur-RahmanM. (2019). Assessment of acoustical level in healthcare design: In comparison with the standards of World Health Organization. Nurture, 13(1), 6–15. https://doi.org/10.55951/nurture.v13i1.15
3.
AlrawafT. I.AbubakarI. R.AlshabibiN. M.Al-MatarK. M.DanoU. L.ElhadiE. M. A.FarooqiM. A.AlshihriF. S.AlzenifeerB. M.Al-OdahM. A. (2023). The distribution of ecotourism activities and potential consequences for the Saudi desert ecosystem. Journal of Arid Environments, 213, 104950. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2023.104950
4.
Alshar'EM.ZinA. M.SulaimanR.MokhtarM. R. (2015). Evaluation of the TPM user authentication model for trusted computers. Journal of Theoretical & Applied Information Technology, 81(2), 298–309.
5.
AnudjoM. N. K.VitaleC.ElshamiW.HancockA.AdelekeS.FranklinJ. M.AkudjeduT. N. (2023). Considerations for environmental sustainability in clinical radiology and radiotherapy practice: A systematic literature review and recommendations for a greener practice. Radiography, 29(6), 1077–1092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2023.09.006
6.
Ben-BassatT.ShinarD.AlmqvistR.CairdJ. K.DewarR. E.LehtonenE.SalmonP. M.SinclairM.SummalaH.ZakowskaL.LibermanG. (2019). Expert evaluation of traffic signs: Conventional vs. alternative designs. Ergonomics, 62(6), 734–747. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2019.1567829
7.
BenitezG. B.Da SilveiraG. J. C.FogliattoF. S. (2019). Layout planning in healthcare facilities: A systematic review. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 12(3), 31–44. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586719855336
8.
BenitezG. B.FogliattoF. S.CardosoR. B.TorresF. S.FaccinC. S.DoraJ. M. (2018). Systematic layout planning of a radiology reporting area to optimize radiologists’ performance. Journal of Digital Imaging, 31(2), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10278-017-0036-9
BoureghA. S.ManiruzzamanK. M.AbubakarI. R.AlshihriF. S.AlrawafT. I.AhmedS. M. S.BoureggahM. S. (2023). Investigating the prospect of e-participation in urban planning in Saudi Arabia. Cities, 134, 104186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2022.104186
11.
CartheyJ. (2008). Reinterpreting the hospital corridor: “wasted space” or essential for quality multidisciplinary clinical care?HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 2(1), 17–29. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758670800200103
ChoM. (2023). Evaluating therapeutic healthcare environmental criteria: Architectural designers’ perspectives. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 20(2), 1540. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20021540
14.
ClarkeS. (2011). Acoustic design approach for hospitals. Annual Conference of the Australian Acoustical Society. 2-4 November 2011.
DiGiacintoD.GildonB.KeenanL. A.PattonM. (2016). Review of patient satisfaction research to improve patient surveys in medical imaging departments. Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, 32(4), 203–206. https://doi.org/10.1177/8756479316650887
17.
DoneleyB. (2018). Diagnostic imaging. In Avian medicine and surgery in practice (pp. 95–107). CRC Press.
18.
DonkorA.AdjeiA. N. A.WiafeY. A. (2024). Achieving person-centred diagnostic imaging care in low-and middle-income countries: Barriers and strategies. In Person-centred care in radiology (pp. 41–62). CRC Press.
19.
EfeogheneM.EzeJ.IdigoF.OhagwuC.OkpalaekeM.EzechukwuU. (2021). Assessment of patients’ satisfaction level with radio-diagnostic services in a Nigerian tertiary hospital. Assessment, 40(25), 8–15. https://doi.org/10.9734/CJAST/2021/v40i2531508
20.
El KadyA.SamiS. A.EldeibA. M. (2017). A two stage heuristics for improvement of existing multi floor healthcare facility layout.
21.
EstemberR. D.ManaladJ. A. B. C. (2020). Facilities layout design with system simulation for pre-employment services on diagnostic centers and laboratories.
22.
FakesK.BoyesA.HallA.CareyM.LeighL.BrownS.Sanson-FisherR. (2024). Trajectories and predictors of raised state anxiety among outpatients who have undergone medical imaging procedures. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 21(2), 285–294. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2023.06.018
23.
FakhryM.MohammedW. E. (2022). Impact of family presence on healthcare outcomes and patients’ wards design. Alexandria Engineering Journal, 61(12), 10713–10726. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aej.2022.04.027
24.
FrançaA. J. G. L.OrnsteinS. W. (2022). The role of the built environment in updating design requirements in the post-pandemic scenario: A case study of selected diagnostic facilities in Brazil. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 18(5), 671–689. https://doi.org/10.1080/17452007.2021.1965949
25.
GadekaD. D.EsenaR. K. (2020). Quality of care of medical imaging services at a teaching hospital in Ghana: Clients’ perspective. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 51(1), 154–164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2019.12.005
26.
GanaL. A.BardeM.NwobiC. I.ZiraJ. D.LalaiM. G.SidiM.RichardE. I. (2020). Survey of patient satisfaction with radiological services in public and private health facilities in Kano. Journal of Applied Health Sciences = Časopis za Primijenjene Zdravstvene Znanosti, 6(1), 25–32. https://doi.org/10.24141/1/6/1/3
27.
GendyD.WaltersH.O'MahonyE.ZamanS. (2022). The scope for radiology to contribute to the NHS net zero target: Findings from a survey of radiology staff in the UK. Clinical Radiology, 77(8), e667–e672. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crad.2022.05.002
28.
General Authority of Statics, Saudi Arabia. Statistical database. Retrieved 21 November, 2024 from https://www.stats.gov.sa/en/node
29.
GhofraniM.ValizadehL.ZamanzadehV.GhahramanianA.JanatiA.TaleghaniF. (2024). Adapting the Donabedian model in undergraduate nursing education: A modified Delphi study. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 202. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05187-7
30.
GuastelloS. J. (2023). Human factors engineering and ergonomics: A systems approach. CRC Press.
31.
GunnR.DavisM. M.HallJ.HeintzmanJ.MuenchJ.SmedsB.MillerB. F.MillerW. L.GilchristE.Brown LeveyS.BrownJ.Wise RomeroP.CohenD. J. (2015). Designing clinical space for the delivery of integrated behavioral health and primary care. The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 28(Supplement 1), S52–S62. https://doi.org/10.3122/jabfm.2015.S1.150053
32.
HanneT.MeloT.NickelS. (2009). Bringing robustness to patient flow management through optimized patient transports in hospitals. Interfaces, 39(3), 241–255. https://doi.org/10.1287/inte.1080.0379
33.
HungL. X.LeeS.LeeY.-K.LeeH. (2007). Activity-based access control model to hospital information.
34.
HurstH.GriffithsJ.HuntC.MartinezE. (2019). A realist evaluation of the implementation of open visiting in an acute care setting for older people. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 867. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4653-5
35.
HusseinM. F. F.AbubakarI. R. (2024). Perspectives of families and healthcare staff on the design of inpatient hospital rooms in Saudi Arabia. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 18(1), 19375867241279366. https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867241279366
36.
JartaG.BrennemanR. M.GiebinkB. (2024). Acoustic design considerations for mental and behavioral healthcare facilities.
37.
JessomeR. (2020). Improving patient flow in diagnostic imaging: A case report. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 51(4), 678–688. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2020.08.014
38.
JiaH.ChenR.WeiL.ZhangG.JiaoM.LiuC.ShaZ.ZhouS.WangY.LiJ.JiaX.nIsmaelO. Y.MaoJ.WuQ. (2020). What is the impact of restricted access policy on workplace violence in general hospital? A before-after study in a CHINESE tertiary hospital. BMC Health Services Research, 20, 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4778-6
39.
JiangS.VerderberS. (2017). On the planning and design of hospital circulation zones: A review of the evidence-based literature. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 10(2), 124–146. https://doi.org/10.1177/1937586716672041
40.
JostC.Le PévédicB. (2020). Designing evaluations: Researchers’ insights interview of five experts. In Human-robot interaction: Evaluation methods and their standardization (pp. 287–330). Springer.
41.
KasprowiczD. (2019). Human factors engineering. In LiggieriK.MüllerO. (Eds.), Mensch-Maschine-Interaktion: Handbuch zu Geschichte – Kultur – Ethik (pp. 263–265). J.B. Metzler.
42.
KetemaS. F.KekanaR. M.EssopH.MsonzaH. W. (2021). Diagnostic radiographers’ experiences when interacting with the custodians of paediatric patients presenting for general radiographic imaging. Radiography, 27(4), 1021–1026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.radi.2021.03.008
43.
KevdzijaM.MarquardtG. (2022). Impact of distance on stroke inpatients’ mobility in rehabilitation clinics: A shadowing study. Building Research & Information, 50(1-2), 74–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2021.2001302
44.
KobusR. L.SkaggsR. L.BobrowM.ThomasJ.PayetteT. M.KlimentS. A. (2008). Building type basics for healthcare facilities (Vol. 13). John Wiley & Sons.
45.
KumarG. L.MamtaP.VarshdeepK.KumarJ. R.DalbirS. (2024). Radiology department disaster preparedness: Practice, strategies and emergency response. International Journal of Medical Imaging, 12(2), 41–50. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijmi.20241202.14
46.
LarsenE. P.HailuT.SheldonL.GinaderA.BodoN.DewaneD.DegnanA. J.FinleyJ.SzeR. W. (2021). Optimizing radiology reading room design: The eudaimonia radiology machine. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 18(1), 108–120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2020.09.041
MkhizeN.TiwariR.ChikteU.PitcherR. (2022). Temporal trends in the South African diagnostic radiology workforce (2002-2019). Cureus, 14(7), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.27148
49.
MokavelagaA.PapeR. (2021). Assessment on the effectiveness of communication between radiographers and patients during general radiographic examinations at Port Moresby General Hospital, Papua New Guinea. Pacific Journal of Medical Sciences, 22(1), 13–24.
50.
Motta-RamírezG. A.Bejar-CornejoJ. R.Martinez-UtreraM. J.Leyva-MoragaE. (2023). The professional practice of the radiologist and his ergonomic interaction with his workplace. Anales de Radiologia, Mexico, 22(2), 140–155. https://doi.org/10.24875/ARM.22000066
51.
MulisaT.TessemaF.MergaH. (2017). Patients’ satisfaction towards radiological service and associated factors in Hawassa University Teaching and referral hospital, Southern Ethiopia. BMC Health Services Research, 17, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-017-2384-z
52.
OufT. A.MakramA.Abdel RazekS. A. (2021). Design indicators based on nature and social interactions to enhance wellness for patients in healthcare facilities.
53.
PageM. J.McKenzieJ. E.BossuytP. M.BoutronI.HoffmannT. C.MulrowC. D.ShamseerL.TetzlaffJ. M.AklE. A.BrennanS. E.ChouR.GlanvilleJ.GrimshawJ. M.HróbjartssonA.LaluM. M.LiT.LoderE. W.Mayo-WilsonE.McDonaldS., & Moher, D. (2021). The PRISMA 2020 statement: An updated guideline for reporting systematic reviewsBMJ, 372, n71. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n71
54.
PashaS. (2013). Barriers to garden visitation in children's hospitals. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 6(4), 76–96. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758671300600405
55.
PatiD.HarveyT. E.JrBarachP. (2008). Relationships between exterior views and nurse stress: An exploratory examination. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 1(2), 27–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758670800100204
56.
PedersenS.SandersV. (2018). A new and inclusive intake form for diagnostic imaging departments. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 49(4), 371–375. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2018.10.001
57.
PommierR. (2023). L’intimité en imagerie médicale, exercice d’éthique appliquée. Journal d'imagerie diagnostique et interventionnelle, 6(3), 218–222. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jidi.2023.04.002
58.
PratiwiA. B.PadmawatiR. S.WillemsD. L. (2022). Behind open doors: Patient privacy and the impact of design in primary health care, a qualitative study in Indonesia. Frontiers in Medicine, 9, 915237. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2022.915237
59.
QuanX.JosephA.EnsignJ. C. (2012). Impact of imaging room environment: Staff job stress and satisfaction, patient satisfaction, and willingness to recommend. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 5(2), 61–79. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758671200500206
60.
RawsonJ. V.MitchellL.GoldenL.MurdockA.HainesG. R. (2016). Lessons learned from two decades of patient- and family-centered care in radiology, part 1: Getting started. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 13(12), 1555–1559. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2016.09.010
61.
RobinsonS. (2024). Maintaining a safe environment in emergency department waiting rooms. Emergency Nurse, 32(1), 33–41. https://doi.org/10.7748/en.2023.e2189
62.
Rodríguez-LabajosL.KinlochJ.NicolL.GrantS.O'BrienG. (2024). Impact of the design of adult mental health inpatient facilities on healthcare staff: A mixed methods systematic review. BMJ Open, 14(3), e074368. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-074368
63.
RostenbergB.HoriiS. C. (2006). The architecture of medical imaging: designing healthcare facilities for advanced radiological diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. John Wiley & Sons Incorporated.
64.
SamirS. (2021). Biophilic design impact on healthcare facilities interior design in Egypt. Journal of Design Sciences and Applied Arts, 2(1), 60–70. https://doi.org/10.21608/jdsaa.2021.30348.1051
65.
SarifS. M.IbrahimN.ShiratuddinN. (2016). Design model of computerized personal decision aid for youth: An expert review.
66.
SzeR. W.HagertyN. M.SassanoC.KazmiP. (2020). The business case for evidence-based design in radiology departments. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 17(1), 152–156. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2019.08.006
67.
SzeR. W.TeshimaS.HoganL.DavidsonS. (2018). Radiology design project primer. Journal of the American College of Radiology, 15(10), 1493–1499. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacr.2017.11.014
ThompsonS. M.DayR.GarfinkelR. (2013). Improving the flow of patients through healthcare organizations. In Handbook of healthcare operations management: Methods and applications (pp. 183–204). Springer.
70.
Tossaint-SchoenmakersR.VersluisA.ChavannesN.Talboom-KampE.KasteleynM. (2021). The challenge of integrating eHealth into health care: Systematic literature review of the Donabedian model of structure, process, and outcome. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(5), e27180. https://doi.org/10.2196/27180
71.
UlrichR. S.ZimringC.ZhuX.DuBoseJ.SeoH.-B.ChoiY.-S.QuanX.JosephA. (2008). A review of the research literature on evidence-based healthcare design. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 1(3), 61–125. https://doi.org/10.1177/193758670800100306
72.
WahedW.MabrookS.Abdel WahedW. (2017). Assessment of patient satisfaction at radiological department of Fayoum university hospitals. International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries, 1(3), 126–131. https://doi.org/10.24911/IJMDC.1.3.2
73.
WayessaZ. J.MohammedA. B. (2023). Compassionate, respectful care and associated factors among radiology clients at public hospitals in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences, 54(4), 679–691. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmir.2023.08.009
74.
ZamaniZ.JoyT.WorleyJ. (2024). Optimizing nurse workflow efficiency: An examination of nurse walking behavior and space accessibility in medical surgical units. HERD: Health Environments Research & Design Journal, 17(3), 19375867241237509. https://doi.org/10.1177/19375867241237509
Supplementary Material
Please find the following supplemental material available below.
For Open Access articles published under a Creative Commons License, all supplemental material carries the same license as the article it is associated with.
For non-Open Access articles published, all supplemental material carries a non-exclusive license, and permission requests for re-use of supplemental material or any part of supplemental material shall be sent directly to the copyright owner as specified in the copyright notice associated with the article.
