Profession
One hospital room, one patient is new rule of thumb
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted June 19, 2006
New guidelines the American Institute of Architects and the Facilities Guidelines Institute published this month call for single-bed hospital rooms in all new construction unless two beds are absolutely necessary.
The groups' guidelines, which are used as a reference code or standard by 42 state authorities, several federal agencies, the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and health care architects, were last updated in 2001.
The new guidelines were accompanied by a review of research carried out at Vancouver's Simon Fraser University in British Columbia. The evidence showed that single-patient rooms reduce hospital-acquired infections and patient falls, speed recovery times and enhance patient privacy. And while single-patient rooms are initially more expensive, guideline-makers argued that over time they would yield shorter hospital stays.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/06/19/prbf0619.htm.
