background
There is an increasing understanding that the design of healthcare environments impacts on the well-being of patients, and on other users of these facilities; and that good design can enhance the healing process and patient outcomes:
“sensitive design can enhance recovery [and] shorten hospital stays” (Lemprecht, 1996:123).However, we still lack good evidence-based data on how healthcare design can improve well-being; and there is currently no single recognised place for ideas, experiences and examples of best practice to be shared and discussed more widely. AfH is a non-profit organisation for those interested in improving health and well-being through healthcare design, underpinned by a membership of design and related professionals. Its inception in 1992 was a response to the considerable strategic change in the health sector. Since then, AfH has established itself as a forum for new ideas and a place to share best practice.