Day Surgery Facilities for Elderly Patients: Which Structural Requirememts?

In next years, the number of outpatients over 65s will grow. Motor and/or sensorial deficits and comfort requirements of elderly represent a challenge for hospital engineers and health care managers. In Italy, with the expansion of DS, a wide number of facilities will be built in the future. Following these considerations, we reviewed the literature searching for data or studies, from which to draw basic principles and/or design patterns. The study consisted of: literature review with focus on DS and elderly patients, prevalence and characteristics of the commonest disabilities in elderly population; review of the environmental and technical requirements facing with the discomfort caused by the different disabilities; definition of a set of design patterns to be applied when designing geriatric DS units. Results: Age over 65y does not represent an independent risk factor in DS; so, extending DS to elderly is rational. Moreover, treating elderly in DS may reduce postoperative cognitive disturbances. All these considerations make the plan to build a new geriatric facility at INRCA a valuable one. The prevalence of motor, visual and hearing impairments in the 65-85y age will be reported. Analysis of the national law revealed the lack of any design patterns aiming to reduce the discomfort related with visual and hearing impairments, whereas with motor disability the only one existing codified regulation is architectural barriers removal. Starting from these data, a group of technological and typological requirements for geriatric DS facilities has been identified, as a starting point toward the definition of a regulation frame for DS geriatric facilities by the Healthcare Ministry. Conclusion: This study represents a first approach to the definition of requirements and design patterns for geriatric DS facilities.