How can we create less intimidating hospital ambiences with lighting.

Human-centred design takes into consideration the visual, emotional and biological aspects of lighting. Whereas in patient rooms all aspects are equally important, in scan rooms visual and emotional aspects need to be addressed. Reducing anxiety amongst patients will increase their emotional wellbeing. Experience has shown that this also reduces the need for repeat examinations and increases workflow. Coloured light can be used very effectively in underlying themes and for addressing emotional associations. This means it can be used to create less intimidating ambiences in scan rooms. Furthermore, coloured light can also be used to communicate signals, thus reducing potential communication barriers between staff and patient. This paper describes the concepts behind the application of coloured light in scan rooms and concludes with experiences gained in two projects that have been carried out.