An Evaluation of the Healing Environment

The realization that the hospital environment may affect the health and wellbeing of patients and their families has attracted renewed interest in the medical literature as healthcare providers and administrators have sought to differentiate their services in an increasingly competitive health care marketplace (Friedrich, 1999; Hors-burgh, 1995; Voelker, 1994). The potential that pleasant, user-friendly facilities will attract pa-tients and improve their healthcare satisfaction has been advocated as a marketing strategy in the healthcare industry (Egger, 1999; Hutton & Ri chardson, 1995). Additionally, healthcare provi ders, architects, landscape designers, and hospital administrators, among others, hav