Patient rooms in Irvine merge futuristic technology with nature’s healing power

When thinking of patient rooms in a hospital, the visual might include a small, cramped space with dim light, beeping monitors, a small television and perhaps a neighbor.

Not so at UCI Health — Irvine, where the rooms are a reimagining of the inpatient experience. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring nature indoors and an array of high-tech features make a hospital stay more comfortable.

Every element was intentional, says Dr. Alpesh Amin, professor & associate dean for clinical transformation, UCI Health and UC Irvine School of Medicine..

“We’ve evolved our culture to provide more of a healing space, one where patients can come in and there’s a feeling of enjoyment in the environment.”

Large, private spaces

The scenic landscape and wildlife of the adjacent San Joaquin Marsh Reserve can be seen from many rooms, as can the Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center and Ambulatory Care building and the Joe C. Wen & Family Center for Advanced Care, through massive windows that also let in natural light.

The rooms were designed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when isolating patients was a challenge for many hospitals. One outcome of the extensive planning process is that the rooms are large enough to convert to intensive care units (ICU), if necessary.

Averaging 250 square feet, these rooms can also comfortably fit both clinicians and visitors, who are regarded as a vital part of a patient’s healing process.

“It’s important to have the ability to have friends and family visit and not feel like they are all standing on top of each other,” says Jess Langerud, principal project manager at UCI Health.

“Our caregivers will still be able to access the patient and do what they need to do without having to step around family members who might be visiting.”

Big-screen smart television

Facing every patient’s bed is a 75-inch smart television equipped with the latest in streaming and conferencing technology.

With the TV and a bedside tablet in each room, patients will be able to:

• Use the digital engagement system Get Well, which gives patients access to medical records and video health information tailored to their conditions in their own language
• Order food at any time, customized to nutritional needs and dietary restrictions
• Recognize their nurses for excellent care
• Connect to faraway family members for a virtual visit or allow them to participate in care conversations
• Access entertainment options, including on-demand videos and satellite television

Better rest and sleep

Getting rest in a hospital is often a challenge, with the constant beeping of machines and people going in and out of rooms. Addressing this problem was a priority in the planning process.

A quiet communication system will keep in-room noise to a minimum while allowing caregivers to stay informed and responsive to patient needs.

Digital whiteboards outside each room enable updates for fellow caregivers to minimize the need to enter the room while patients are asleep.

“When you sleep better, you heal faster,” says Paul Da Veiga, director of planning, construction and design at UCI Health.

“When you heal faster, you get out of the hospital sooner.”