Steelcase Health Reveals Regard at Healthcare Design 2012
New furniture system rethinks how people experience transitional moments
(Grand Rapids, Mich.) – Nov. 5, 2012 – Healthcare furniture manufacturer Steelcase Health pulls back the curtain to reveal a new way to experience healthcare in common areas. Steelcase Health’s latest product innovation, Regard, empowers patients, caregivers and partners in care in healthcare environments. Regard will be showcased Nov. 3 – 6 at HCD12, Booth #300, at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Ariz.
With patient and clinician satisfaction more important than ever, Regard is designed to address the needs of complex and demanding healthcare environments.
Regard supports times of transition, meeting needs often overlooked. Empowering users with choice, Regard enables people to participate in their healthcare journey in a meaningful manner. They choose whether they want to learn by watching a medical video at a kiosk, be productive by plugging in their mobile device at their seat, or engage in positive distraction by relaxing in front of a TV or gaming system.
“There are a growing number of people who are taking an active role in their healthcare journey. Nowadays, many people bring technology with them to medical appointments,” said Kyle Williams, vice president and general manager of Steelcase Health. “Regard addresses this trend by making common spaces more human and productive. This solution is the result of our human-centered insights, which show transitional moments were going unnoticed in healthcare environments.”
Steelcase Health’s observations and research conclude that transitional moments are missed opportunities to improve patient satisfaction and enhance the relationship between the caregiver and patient. Patients want to be able to absorb information, be entertained, and be able to connect with loved ones during their journey. Steelcase Health’s research shows that physical space plays an important role in how people feel.
“When we hold people in high regard, it means we respect and care for them,” Williams added. “Regard acknowledges the relationship between key, critical moments and times of transition.”
“Many common areas are lost spaces, simply rooms filled with chairs, serving no purpose other than to have people sit and wait,” said Margaret Alrutz, director of strategic marketing and experience design for Steelcase Health. “People want to feel included when it comes to their health needs, and Regard enables patients and their caregivers to connect, absorb and restore. Our intention in rethinking transition times and common spaces is ultimately to improve patient satisfaction and the overall healthcare experience.”
Designed to support times of transitions, Regard promotes wellbeing by providing users with meaningful experiences through a palette of posture, place and presence. Seating is wellordered and addresses the needs of the growing senior and bariatric populations as well as children and those who rely on wheelchairs, adding a sense of security for more vulnerable patients.
A healthcare environment that’s conducive to interpersonal connections and comfort creates calm for what is often an anxious experience. It is part of Steelcase Health’s focus to develop environments that are more comfortable, efficient and conducive to the healing process.
Regard empowers users with choice.
- Privacy. Private telehealth options allow patients to consult face to face with specialists at another location.
- Intimacy with friends and family. Patients design their own journey and have the ability to create their own experience – privately with loved ones for support, with care providers to receive important medical information, or alone for a reprieve. In more open areas, friends and family often include children, seniors, people with disabilities and bariatric patients.
- Education. Casegoods serve as ideal solutions for self learning and group learning when equipped with TVs and educational videos or iPads.
- Technology. Intuitive plugin spots enable time crunched patients or partners in care to be productive and catch up on work projects with their electronic devices, interact with loved ones and optimize personal space.
- Positive distraction. Casegoods provide spaces for TVs or gaming systems that offer positive distraction and relaxation.
“What makes Regard experiences stand out is the ability to meet complex needs while keeping spaces well ordered, intuitive, and calm for the user,” said Alan Rheault, director of industrial design.
The appropriate aesthetic also represents the professionalism of the provider. “We acknowledged the trend of an increasing number of mergers and acquisitions among hospitals and health facilities,” added Rheault. “Regard’s refined look and flexible features lend seamless continuity, which provides a desired brand look and feel that’s consistent across different locations.”
Regard addresses the needs of today, but also the needs of tomorrow. “Regard is designed to adapt with common spaces of the future,” said Williams. “It will endure future strategies involving technology and communication throughout the healthcare journey.”
About Steelcase Health
Steelcase Health is a company dedicated to providing user-centered solutions in healthcare. Steelcase Health views the healthcare environment as an integral part of the healing process and provides holistic solutions that focus not only on product, but space as a whole, delivering research driven, evidence-based solutions to complex problems in healthcare environments. For more information on Steelcase Health please visit Health.
Contact
Jason Vanderground
jvanderg@steelcase.com
(616) 3077876
Karyn Odway
karyn@cyanpoint.com
(312) 4791271