The Healing Pathway in Hospital Design: The Role of Hospital Structural Elements in Shaping Patient Experience and Implicit Healthcare Marketing

Abstract

The hospital physical environment extends beyond a mere setting for healthcare delivery; it constitutes a critical component of the patient experience and influences perceptions of care quality. Evidence-based environmental design including optimization of lighting, spatial layout, and wayfinding has been shown to reduce patient stress, enhance perceived safety and autonomy, and improve overall patient satisfaction and loyalty. In addition, environmental cues implicitly communicate organizational values, operational standards, and patient-centeredness, thereby contributing to the hospital’s institutional image. This review synthesizes current research on hospital environmental design to elucidate its impact on patient experience and highlights its role as an implicit, nonverbal factor influencing patient perceptions and engagement