Abstract
The requirement of provisions for thorough infection control of hospitals has increased with the prevalence of influenza and various unknown infectious diseases. Especially, the outpatient area is one of the key areas in which prompt triage of patients with infectious diseases should be considered.
To accumulate information regarding the best hospital design to facilitate prompt triage in OPA, first we conducted a questionnaire survey for doctors and nurses working in Juntendo University Hospital. Then, data were compared to that obtained by review of other hospitals in and outside Japan. The usage conditions of OPA, the consideration to architectural space and infection control, the improvement of the environment and the building services has been extracted from the investigation result.
At domestic and overseas hospitals there have been many reports, in which separation of the clean route and dirty route were unclear methods for handling infectious diseases have not been appropriate even, though some isolation spaces were available.
It proposes a new triage model plan by thinking that the design and the construction of OPA where infection control was considered necessary based on this questionnaire survey result. This new outpatient triage plan functions flexibly during periods when infectious diseases are not prevalent and during those when the incidence of infectious diseases has expanded. The separation of a clean route and dirty route for persons and materials is clearly set. The specifications for suitable interior and building services for infection control are shown.
It is thought to be important to practice this outpatient triage plan not only from the perspectives of functionality, flexibility, and space-saving that are concepts underlying good hospital design but also from the consideration of always attempting to maintain efficient operation.
