Each year, a panel of healthcare architects, interior designers, and facility executives convene at the annual Healthcare Design Conference + Expo to assess product entries in the Nightingale Awards, which honor product design and innovation that promote healing and productivity. These discussions provide an opportunity for judges to examine the products, hear about specific features, and ask questions of the manufacturers as they evaluate how the entries meet the awards program criteria. From these efforts, judges determine Gold and Silver winners in specific product categories, from architectural products to flooring and furniture, as well as recognize those for sustainability and innovation advancements. (Check out the 2023 winners here and in the Healthcare Design’s January/February issue.) The process also offers an opportunity for judges to see how manufacturers and suppliers are meeting the big-picture needs of healthcare organizations.
To understand what was learned, Healthcare Design invited judges to a roundtable discussion to hear what stood out to them during the awards judging at the HCD Conference as well as what they’d like manufacturers to improve and focus on next. In December 2023, Editor-in-Chief Anne DiNardo moderated a discussion via Zoom with Dee Dee Bonds, vice president and senior interior designer–health at HKS Inc. (Orlando); Ryan Daniels, vice president, Florida healthcare practice leader at CPL (Tampa, Fla.); Julie Dumser, RN, senior manager, health consulting, at EY (Indianapolis); and Sarah Francis, RN, director–planning, design, and construction, at Atrium Health (Charlotte, N.C.).
Advancements in behavioral health design were a topic of discussion among the judges. They noted visible progress in products designed to meet the needs of this patient population as well as an improvement in aesthetics and functionality. For example, they recognized the Safehinge Primera’s Full-Door Ligature Alarm, which received a Gold Award in the Technology-Integrated Solutions category for offering a new approach to door safety with a wireless suicide detection system. The judges also noted the Pineapple’s Boden Donut Rocker, designed specifically to provide support for patients with sensory processing needs, and improvements in the aesthetics of products for behavioral health environments.
Another theme among the judges was the focus on adaptability and universality in healthcare products. They appreciated products like Brewer Company’s Versa Exam Table, which was lauded for its modifications to the standard exam table to accommodate different patient populations. The judges also noted the Mossa Mobile 3-Wheel by Skyline Design, which won an Innovation Award in Furniture: Clinician Support, for its flexibility in any healthcare space.
Additionally, the judges discussed the growth in green products and sustainability in healthcare design. They recognized progress in the flooring category, with several manufacturers touting products that are free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and made of recycled materials. They noted operational challenges for healthcare systems when it comes to diverting building materials from the landfill at the end of their lifespan and expressed a desire to work with manufacturers to improve recycling efforts.
In conclusion, the roundtable discussion offered insight into the evolving needs and priorities of healthcare design, as well as the progress made in meeting these needs through product innovation and sustainability efforts.
