Hey.  It's that time again when Top 10 of the year lists seem to be everywhere.

Only this year, it's also been Top 10 of the decade. Since I didn't start my blog until November 2012, I won't be sharing one of those lists.

But in case you missed them, here are the Top 10 most read blog posts that I wrote in 2019.

10. Healthcare at NeoCon: With a Few Exceptions, Just Newer and Better

I’m glad to report that healthcare is still alive and well at NeoCon — the largest U.S. commercial furniture, flooring, fabrics, and furnishings show that took place at Chicago’s Merchandise Mart this week. But I didn’t see much that really excited me. >>>Read more

9. The Incredible Shrinking Hospital

I’ve stated many times that the hospital isn’t going away. And I still believe that. But the number of hospitals and their size will most definitely shrink. Recent statistics compiled by Modern Healthcare Metrics are hard to ignore.>>>Read more

8. Catching Up With Healthcare Interior Designer Barbara Huelat

I first met Barbara Huelat when she and I were serving on the Advisory Board for the Symposium on Healthcare Design in the late 1980s. That was a long time ago. She was a designer for Ellerbe Becket and I was an editor for Contract magazine.>>>Read more

7. How Do We Make Senior Living Cool?

Last week I wrote about changes affecting hospitals and health systems that are shaping healthcare facility design and construction. This week, I’m looking at senior living.>>>Read more

6. Too Much Access to Nature in Healthcare?

Is there such thing as too much access to nature in healthcare? Ever since Roger Ulrich’s study was published in 1984 the healthcare design community has been talking about the physical effects of nature on patients and staff. We know that viewing or experiencing nature helps reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and the production of stress hormones.

Because of those outcomes, biophilic design has also found a welcoming place in healthcare. But when architects design hospitals that look like jungles, I have to wonder if it’s too much.>>>Read more

5. What Makes a Great Patient Experience? Unpacking The Gensler Experience Index

Every patient wants a great experience, right? But how can you design for the optimal patient experience? It starts with the “why” because a fundamental element of designing for experience is to understand a person’s intention and how it frames their experience.>>>Read more

4. Past is Present: 8 Historic Events That Affected Healthcare Facility Design and Construction

History professor Peter N. Stearns wrote that “The past causes the present, and so the future.” History also offers a lot of information about how people and societies behave. Both of these are reasons to study history or reflect upon historically significant events.

So that got me thinking. What are the most important historically significant events that have affected healthcare facility design and construction?>>>Read more

3. 10 Innovative Product Ideas That Have Improved the Patient Experience

A few years ago, I wrote a post about 10 innovative healthcare design ideas that have helped improve the patient experience. It’s one of my most-read posts.

Last week I wrote about tunable lighting systems, which have the potential to improve circadian wellness for patients and staff in healthcare settings. Then I got to thinking. What other innovative product ideas have there been that contribute to a more comfortable, safe, and supportive patient experience?>>>Read more

2. Second Day Delivery on a Modular Patient Room

Did you know that you can buy a modular patient room on Amazon? Yep, for only $284,999, plus $4.49 shipping, you can have a MedModular patient room delivered to your doorstep. How can they ship those things for $4.49? That must be a typo. And I just made that second-day delivery stuff up.>>>Read more

1. Catching Up With Healthcare Interior Designer Ana Pinto Alexander

I think I’ve been around long enough to recognize extraordinary healthcare interior design talent when I see it. And ever since I’ve been aware of her work, Ana Pinto-Alexander has been one of those people.>>>Read more

Bonus

I couldn't resist.

My most read post of the decade is Connecting With Patients -- about the empathy video from the Cleveland Clinic in March 2013. And guess what? It's still relevant today.

Here's to a new decade! (And thanks for reading my blog.)

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