Humanisation and soft qualities in emergency rooms

Scenario. Currently, there are few evaluation methods that analyse social aspects in healthcare issues, especially humanisation and well-being, as perceived by users in emergency departments which are places in which patients’ psycho-physical well-being is decisive. For this reason, research was conducted to create a tool to improve the quality of these areas. Methodology. In order to conduct the research, the work was structured in three phases: the first, based on the analysis of State-of-the-Art and the current studies on the interactions established between the physical and emotional conditions of the structure and the users; the second, through the definition of a questionnaire which explores humanisation and comfort aspects; the third, through the application of the instrument. Results. The paper presents and analyses data collected from the application on a case study in Milan, analysing the responses and proposing design suggestions for increasing the quality of emergency environments. Conclusions. In anticipation of future works, the application of such a tool can provide the opportunity to improve and enhance quality and staff efficiency in emergency department spaces.