Background and objectives
Australasia’s successful history of socio-economic development has established the region as one of the best places in the world to live and work. In a globalised and increasingly interdependent world, however, the continuous improvement of the quality of life of the citizens of all nation states will be founded on the recognition that a healthy population is the foundation for social development and economic growth.
Today’s rapid movement of individuals and populations living in ever larger, multi-cultural, urban environments, combined with the equally rapid evolution of the knowledge society means that the world we live in today is one with few boundaries. In the 21st Century, the health of nations is a global issue.
One of the great ironies of modern medicine is that the very environments created to heal are the cause of injuries, illnesses and death to the vulnerable population they were built to serve. Increasingly, the evidence suggests that current hospital design is not sufficient to prevent medical errors, rates of infection and injuries from falls, as well as hindering patient recovery and increasing nurse turnover. As recognition grows that the risks and hazards of healthcare associated injury and harm are a result of systemic design problems, healthcare providers are paying more attention to the connection between design and the quality of care.
Health and wellbeing
At the same time, rising awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing and increased demand for well-designed, humanistic environments, set against the rising cost of healthcare, rapid advances in medical technology, ageing populations, climate change and world poverty, is placing ever greater pressures on health systems around the world.
A new paradigm that recognises that human health is significantly related to the designed environment is needed. A’salutogenic approach’ to health infrastructure development embedded at the core of a public health strategy focused on preventative care, changes the focus from risk factors and the treatment of disease to a more holistic understanding of healthy environments.
A focus on health and wellbeing can be used to inspire innovative design and infrastructure solutions that facilitate an active lifestyle and enable the successful management of physical, psychological and emotional stress in our daily lives.
Design & Health Australasia 2010 will explore global health perspectives on the planning, procurement, finance, design, construction and operation of health facilities within the local context of infrastructure development in the region. The symposium will discuss how new approaches to health infrastructure development in Australasia can provide a more cost-effective context for enhancing human health, wellbeing and quality of life.
Aims and Objectives
- To report and evaluate different international models of care, and the latest health theories and perspectives
- To reflect on the socio-economic factors impacting on the design and development of health infrastructure in Australasia including demographic change, medical technology, patient choice and cost
- To report on case studies of healthcare buildings that are delivering real and measurable benefits in the region and globally
- To recommend actions and initiatives to improve the design quality and operational management of the health infrastructure
- To explore how to create a sustainable infrastructure that supports human health, wellbeing and quality of life and meets the regions social, environmental and economic goals
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