December 21, 2001 - This article from the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal details how hospitals and health care facilities have gradually been softening their look over the past decade, striving to look less institutional and more like a home. An excerpt from the article:

"Architect Pamela Anderson-Brul� says that after the new Renal Care Center was built at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, one dialysis patient, who had to be constrained while undergoing treatment, stayed calm and relaxed in a new room surrounded by garden views. In units without windows such as intensive care, designers sometimes install artificial windows with lighting that simulates changes in weather and daylight, which keeps people from getting disoriented."

December 19, 2001 - The Boston Globe has an article about hospitals that have explicit goals in helping patients keep their dignity and sense of control. (link is no longer available)

These hospitals are using the Planetree model (web site). The Planetree stated mission is to serve as a catalyst in the development and implementation of new models of health care which cultivate the healing of mind, body and spirit; are patient-centered, value-based, and holistic; and integrate the best of western scientific medicine with time-honored healing practices.

Here is a list of fifteen hospitals from Modern Maturity that have begun adopting a philosophy called "patient-centered" care. (link is no longer available) The approach has four principles:

• Treat everyone with dignity;
  
• share unbiased information with patients and their families;
  
• strengthen patients' sense of control;
  
• collaborate with patients, families, and the broader community in deciding how the hospital looks and functions.

[This message has been edited by Gary Peterson (edited 11-22-2004).]