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Image Selection: When selecting images for healthcare art programs, it is critical to understand who the patients/viewers are, as well as the mission and goals of the facility. Patient based art programs can be created by combining multi layers of information, including facility demographics, topography and design, as well as patient populations, stress levels and viewing time. · Existing and future hospital demographics begin to create a facility unique patient profile while local topography along with architectural and design elements help to define appropriate images and styles. · Understanding patient ethnicity, as well as educational, and economic background information, helps further define appropriate subject matter unique to each facility. · Patient Populations are a determining factor in image selection. Each population has its own unique needs, concerns and fears to be addressed. In patient based art programs these needs, combined with viewing time and stress levels, help to determine image selection and location. Images viewed in high stress areas for extended amounts of time (ER Waiting) will differ greatly from those used to identify areas or specifically aid in way finding.
Patient Based art programs offer facilities an opportunity to help reduce stress found in healthcare environments. Two prominent stressors deal with physical discomfort and way finding. Appropriately selected images can offer patients positive distractions that may, for a short time, take their mind off their own physical discomfort. Wayfinding may be aided through the selection and placement of memorable identifying images located at arrival or corridor decision points. |
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Successful Healthcare Art Programs
Quite simply, a healthcare art program consists of a series of elements placed in public and private spaces throughout the facility. The selection of these elements, as well as their size and placement, is crucial to the success of the program. When image selections are based on the viewer, successful, appropriate art programs result.
Facility history, image and locale are additional issues to consider when selecting art. Portraying a facility’s unique history through imagery can establish immediate visual ties to the past in a new replacement facility. A community medical center may choose to project a local image while a rural facility may choose not to reinforce their location, but rather visually identify with a nearby city to let patients know they are receiving top level care closer to home. Distinctive Art Source begins every art program by learning about the facility’s staff members, visitors and patients. We combine this information with the Owner’s vision and mission to help create an art program that visualizes both.
Knowing the geography of an area surrounding a facility, as well as the types of recreation patients might participate in, is helpful when selecting art. Images of familiar landscapes and pastimes are subtle reminders that patients are close to home and are being cared for by those who know them well. If however, visitors travel far and wide to reach a facility, images of the entire country, or even the world, may be appropriate.
Viewing time should also be considered when selecting images. The longer a viewer is exposed to an image, the more distant the horizon line should be. Distant horizon lines, allow viewers to “enter” or “escape” into the image while foreground details offer additional interest. To momentarily experience art’s healing quality, imagine yourself in a hospital waiting room shortly after spending a wonderful weekend at a relaxing lake. On the wall is an image of a similar lake scene. Boats in the distance, water lapping on the shore in the foreground, and sunny skies divert your thoughts to another more relaxing place in time.
Image scale, color palette and viewing distance play important roles in image placement. Viewing distance helps determine necessary image scale and clarity. Bold colors and clear lines provide image clarity from a distance allowing images placed at one end of a corridor to be viewed from the other end of the corridor.
The strategic combination of art mediums, artistic styles and placement creates a gradual art progression throughout a facility. Different types of art or imagery in different areas can provide visual variety, as well as unit identity. Images located for optimum viewer benefit enhance spatial experiences. Well placed art can also benefit way finding.
Today’s educated consumer demands not only excellent healthcare but also excellent environments. Successful healthcare art programs contribute to excellent environments. |
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P a t i e n t B a s e d A r t P r o g r a m s |
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Patient Based |
