How UCI Health Is Redefining The Patient Experience – NBC Los Angeles

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The medical setting causes stress for millions of Americans. Nearly half of all adults report that the prospect of tests, procedures or bad news in hospitals and doctors’ offices makes them anxious. One-third of those will avoid care altogether, even when they suspect something is wrong. But what if that environment could be reimagined to help ease fear and even contribute to healing? UCI Health understands the virtues of human-centered design, and they aren’t just focused on aesthetics. In addition to world-class care, its newest hospital is harnessing research-backed principles that show environment, design and nature can meaningfully improve well-being.

Calm by design: How architecture shapes health

Traditional hospitals can feel like labyrinths designed to confuse. UCI Health — Irvine offers a different experience with every detail, including natural light, intuitive layouts and thoughtful design, all of which reduce anxiety and restore a sense of control.

“We didn’t want this to feel like just another hospital,” says Brian Pratt, associate vice chancellor for design & construction services and campus architect. “From the very beginning, our UCI design and construction team worked closely with UCI Health, Hensel Phelps and CO Architects to create a hospital that reflects where healthcare is headed. By combining advanced technology, human-centered design, light, nature, and sustainable systems, we’ve created an environment that helps patients feel calmer, supports caregivers, and fosters healing on every level.”

At the heart of this vision is the hospital’s innovative surgical “megafloor,” located on the garden level, which serves as a connecting hub between the hospital and the cancer center. The megafloor’s large, flexible operating rooms are designed to accommodate virtually any procedure at any time. This model reduces delays, improves responsiveness, and offers patients a smoother experience. This consolidation also enhances safety: Surgeons have immediate access to what they need, allowing nurses to remain at the bedside instead of leaving to retrieve supplies; fewer interruptions mean better continuity of care and a calmer, more reassuring environment for patients; and by remaining on one floor, anesthesiologists can spend more time managing the pain needs of their patients.

Lighting that welcomes

Cold, harsh lighting is often cited as a trigger of discomfort and anxiety in hospitals. UCI Health — Irvine maximizes natural light with floor-to-ceiling windows in all patient rooms, and warm, soft light throughout the building. It’s another way nature is integrated into the hospital’s design to create serene spaces and promote recovery.

Art as healing  

The UCI Health — Irvine medical complex features more than 1,500 artworks throughout its spaces, including California impressionist landscapes and locally commissioned pieces that reflect the region’s natural beauty. But it’s more than decoration: The collection was intentionally curated to soften the clinical environment and provide calming, restorative spaces for patients, loved ones, and co-workers.

The artwork also deliberately reflects Southern California scenes and landscapes to evoke a sense of home and familiar terrain for everyone who comes to the facility.

Research has repeatedly shown that images of nature calm the mind following stress, reduce the heart rate and promote relaxation. Nature scenes, particularly landscapes, are linked with greater emotional well-being. By combining such art with natural light and serene design, UCI Health creates an environment that supports healing and comfort beyond medical treatment.

Nature that nurtures

One of the most remarkable features of UCI Health — Irvine is the surrounding landscape featuring the protected San Joaquin Marsh Reserve. Decades of research has shown that exposure to nature, even through a window, can decrease pain, reduce anxiety and shorten hospital stays. The incredible healing power of nature is considered in many facets of the hospital design: patient rooms and common spaces are oriented to incorporate views of greenery, the marsh and the horizon, while gardens, walking paths and open-air seating give patients and their families the opportunity to step outside, breathe fresh air and decompress. More than an afterthought, these spaces are integrated into the care environment, reinforcing the idea that healing happens on many levels.

“A wonderful thing in the planning and design here is the concept of the healing environment and how it is weaved in through the entire campus,” says Josephine Jorge-Reyes, PhD, MSN, vice president of nursing at the new hospital. “The ability to look out of large windows and see the sun, the marsh and nature is so critical for our patients and their healing.”

The science is clear: When patients feel emotionally safe, physically comfortable and mentally at ease, their health outcomes improve. UCI Health — Irvine recognizes that healthcare isn’t just about medicine; it’s about creating conditions that promote healing. By reimagining the way a hospital can look, feel, and function, UCI Health —Irvine is setting a new standard for what modern care can and should be: compassionate, intuitive and human-centered. 

Discover how UCI Health is shaping a calmer, more human-centered future of care—learn more about its innovative approach here.