MMP + HEALTHCARE

OUR EXPERTISE

MMP Architects continues to provide strong leadership in healthcare projects. It comes with a heavy investment in research to elevate our understanding of the connection of caregiver and receiver. We believe that with better knowledge of what the medical process involves, we can make better-informed decisions, and in turn, create healthier environments for our patients and residents in long-term care facilities. Typically architects continue to provide the same solutions because "that's the way it's been done in the past." However, this is where MMP pushes the envelope to introduce purposeful discussion providing better patient outcomes. We believe that when designing healing environments that the vast quantities of research in Nosocomial, colour psychology, medication error reduction, restorative staff facilities, decentralization, and efficiencies of ward layouts to reduce travel times all (to mention a few) all need to find their way into discussions of a client's project.

Healthcare design has continued to evolve as new models of practice become adopted. The evidence-based practices that have been utilized for decades have established better and more efficient methods of delivering healthcare. Of these evidence-based practices, much attention has been directed to improving hospital department efficiencies, patient safety and care, and to minimizing the spread of nosocomial infections.

As the gap between statistical research and design outcomes has narrowed, Evidence-Based Design (EBD) has become deeply rooted in design practice. For example, it has become apparent that there is indeed a direct connection between a hospital environment and a patients' perception of the quality of care they received. This connection is also true for a hospital staff, where the physical environment directly correlates to employee satisfaction, productivity, and stress levels.

MMP Architects is one of the first architectural firms to embrace the practice of Evidence-Based Design. As a result, our firm currently has the first long-term care facility registered with the Pebble Project, a Centre of Health Design (CHD). The CHD brings a body of research to health care facilities to better understand how design decisions being made in the building or renovation process can support the expected outcomes of health care practice. Through this commitment in research, including bi-monthly webinars on a specific EBD topic, MMP will continue to strive to remain on the leading edge of healthcare design.