Health Care Communication Design HCCD

From the rules displayed on the wall of a hospital ward to the furnishings in the communal kitchen – from the nurses’ uniforms to the signage in the emergency room: Communication, architecture and design are playing increasingly important roles in the healthcare sector. The communication environment in healthcare facilities should support the recovery and rehabilitation of patients. It should also consider the special needs of certain patient groups and the limitations associated with some illnesses (e.g. dementia, mental illness).  

As part of interdisciplinary research projects, experts from the fields of communication design, nursing science and architecture, process management and IT are investigating possible solutions and developing basic knowledge in this field. The co-operation of five BFH institutes enables a comprehensive view of complex issues in the healthcare sector. Partners and target markets for this research are the public and the private sectors in the form of associations, hospitals, care homes, long-term care facilities, consultancy firms, investors, architecture firms and further education institutions. Previous projects and preliminary studies have been carried out with Curaviva, Inselspital Bern, Felix-Platter-Spital Basel, Triemlispital Zurich, College M Bern, among others. The research group is also commissioned to provide expert opinions on the communicative environments in hospitals.

Core Competences

• Development, implementation, monitoring and supervision of individual research projects 

• Training activities 

• Support for hospital planning and change processes 

• Cultural and organisational development at the interface with design 

• IT strategy planning 

• International research co-operation through our partner networks