In recent years, the healthcare industry has experienced significant growth in the proliferation of wellness centers. Unlike hospitals, conventional healthcare facilities that focus on the healing and treatment of illnesses, the goal of wellness centers is to provide guidance on health maintenance and illness prevention. Through the use of programs such as physical fitness, complementary (or alternative) medication, and ambulatory care, wellness centers provide guidance to their members on how to lead healthier lives and thereby reduce the incidence of contracting infectious diseases or other illnesses.
In Wellness Centers — A Guide for the Design Professional, Joan Whaley Gallup effectively presents the guidelines for designing such healthcare facilities. Through in-depth and extensive case analysis of some of the most efficient wellness facilities across the country, Gallup (an architect and a noted authority on healthcare facility design) addresses the factors that architects and other design professionals should consider when devising plans and layouts for this particular healthcare building type.
Gallup explains the reasons for the dramatic rise in the construction of wellness centers that began during the latter part of the 20th century. Over the last 20 years, the use of wellness programs (such as physical fitness, massage therapy, and stress management) as well as the administration of alternative medication (homeopathy, herbals, nutraceuticals, vitamins, and minerals) have considerably increased as many individuals, particularly those of the “baby boom” generation, have become more health conscious and are striving for longer, healthier lives.
The health services provided by wellness centers are not only beneficial to their members, but are also beneficial to organizations in reducing expenditures in health insurance costs. With insurance costs for medical treatment rising steadily year after year, many insurance providers and employers have offered incentives and reimbursement to individuals who join wellness facilities. Maintaining health and preventing illness, as opposed to treating illness, is a considerably less costly expense for many companies to incur.
As with most building types, there are specific and unique design considerations that designers should apply when developing plans for wellness facilities. Gallup gives best practice recommendations on how to develop designs for various components of these centers such as clinical space, therapy rooms, waiting areas, spa rooms, locker rooms, and pools.
According to Gallup, the key to constructing successful wellness facilities is to create plans or layouts that provide “a sense of control” to patients or easy access to services within the wellness setting. To achieve this end, she lists the elements that professional designers should incorporate in architectural plans, such as convenient access to exercise rooms, clinical areas, rest rooms, and parking lots. Furthermore, she covers other pertinent design issues such as site location, zoning, and signage, and also discusses the application of sustainability design and construction principles when developing designs for wellness centers.
The publication also features a multitude of case examples of successful wellness facilities across the country. Within each case scenario, the author gives detailed information that describes the characteristics, dimensions, and amenities of each facility. The comprehensive collection of case profiles presented in the guide will enable the reader to establish a sound criteria of how to design and construct wellness buildings properly.
In addition, Gallup addresses the use of various construction methods in building wellness facilities and acknowledges design-build project delivery as a highly effective approach. Because of the benefits that integrated project delivery provides, such as the avoidance of cost overruns as well as the capability of providing realistic cost projections to owners in the early stages of construction projects, she strongly recommends the use of design-build in constructing wellness centers.
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