Social Media as a Tool to Influence Design: An Informal Survey of Parents’ Experiences in NICUs, and the Resulting Design Innovations

Authors: Mindy F. Goodroe, AIA, ACHA, LEED, AP BD+C, EDAC, LSSYB; Emily N. Johsnon, EDAC

Private patient rooms are progressively becoming the norm in the design of neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Increased infection control, reduced noise, greater privacy for families and neonates’ improved ability to maintain circadian rhythms in a single room environment are among the benefits cited for private NICU rooms.
This paper will outline changing trends in NICU design and evidence that supports an ongoing shift from traditional open NICU bays towards the private room model. While many new NICUs are being built with private rooms, it remains a matter of debate as to whether this design improves the experience of patients, their families and providers in the NICU. To gain perspective on this issue from a wide variety of users, a NICU design and planning team utilized data from a survey distributed via a social networking platform; the survey examined parents’ experiences in the NICU and their opinions of private rooms versus open bays. Responses to the survey informed innovative NICU designs under construction at two facilities, illustrating social media can be an effective tool for gathering user input on healthcare designs.