CHAPTER ONE:

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

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1.1 Introduction

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the development and care of infants

and children and the treatment of their diseases. Ensuring childs health is critical not only for

reducing child morbidity and mortality, but also for increasing the likelihood of a healthier

adult life, as in the popular saying: Every adult is a survived child. The primary goal of a

child health care, however, is to prevent the major cause of deaths, difficulties, and disease

during childhood: accidental injuries, infections, educational and behavioral problems.

Pediatric hospitals are regional centers for childrens health, meeting the health care

needs of children from distant rural areas to the suburban and inner city neighborhoods.

Pediatric hospitals arent just a building they are key pillars of the community, providing

services available to all children through urgent and emergency care, primary care and

wellness, injury prevention and child abuse prevention, community fairs and in-school health

services. It was designed with children care in mind and has specialist, services and technology.

Each stage of a childs growth and development can require different equipment and expertise

to provide safe, effective care.

Children are one group of people who react to spaces with all their five senses: touch,

smell, feel, taste, and hear. They sense their physical space in a very immediate and detailed

way and their response to spaces can be far more direct and energetic than adults. Their state

of well-being, free from disease is very important to their parents and the nation as a whole.

Part of the process of maintaining well-being is occasional or extended visits to hospitals.

However, the experience of visiting hospitals can be small even for adults, partly because of

the inflexible space that physically challenge visitors.

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 For children are the blessings and joy of society, the pride and strength of their parents

and the nation. Their state of well-being, free from diseases is very important to their parents

and the nation as a whole.

1.2 Background of the Project

The child mortality rate in the Philippines decreased since the Millennium Development

Goals (MDGs) target of reducing child mortality was proposed in 1990. It was dropped from

80 to 30 deaths out of 1000 live births from 1900 to 2011. (Philippine Statistic Authority 2013)

Infants deaths, undernutrition, poor immunization coverage, lack of micronutrient

supplement, inadequate attention to cognitive and psychosocial development, and low birth

registration threaten childrens survival and development. All of these are critical issue in the

childs ability to enjoy his rights to educate to the fullest extent possible.

According to American Academy of Pediatrics, children below three (3) years old

should visit hospital 10 times, ideally to provide information and guidance on children rearing

and family well-being. Pediatrician has been designed to deal with a limited view of child

health, focusing largely on accident prevention and general health issues. However, as we

approach 21st century, a convergence of four forces will mandate that pediatric hospital adopt

broader view about how to support families and young children, especially including more

support and advice about promoting childrens development and behavior, and the importance

of early experiences. (McLearn, K. T. et al (1998). Children and Pediatrics for the 21st Century:

The Healthy Steps Approach. Vol. 75 No. 4, pp 705)

For children, visiting hospitals can be particular tasking emotionally, as they are

stressed by ill-health, painful medical procedures and unfriendly behavior of care givers.

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Children stress from hospital visits can be further compounded by issue of layout, colors,

textures, materials, scale, and so on. This is because many health facilities (spaces) in

Philippines have been designed with a little acknowledgement of the differing needs of small

children, older children, adolescents, parents and caregivers. Thus, these needs of children in

such facilities need to be critically considered.

By proposing Pediatric Hospital with Family Activity Center, it will decrease the child

mortality and making the hospital more desirable for children that will not make them feel

hospitalized. The said project focuses in a patient and family-centered hospital which can

improve patient and family outcomes, improve patients and family experience, increase

patient and family satisfaction, increase professional satisfaction, decrease health care costs,

and lead to more effective use of health care resources. High quality patient and family-

centered primary care is associated with a significant reduction in non-urgent emergency

department visits in children. Family presence during health care procedures decreases anxiety

for the child and the parents. Also, incorporating humor, laughter, learns and play can exerts

positive health benefits. Research has demonstrated that humor that provokes laughter has both

psychological and physiological effects. It has been shown to reduce the levels of stress

hormones, lessen depression and improve mood.

The project is located in San Fernando, Pampanga, based on the 2010 Census of

Population and Housing (2010 CPH); the province posted a total population of 306, 659

persons as of May 1, 2010. At the moment, the child mortality of is 301, 759

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1.3 Statement of the Problem

Hospitals in the Philippine have inadequate capacity to manage with the particular

problem of dealing with sick children. Children are presented with illness or injuries that

cannot be managed properly in a primary are setting.

1.3.1 Main Problem

The research aims to answer the statement: what best design solution

must be introduced to make the pediatric hospital be more pleasing and

welcoming for children?

1.3.2 Sub Problem

A. What design technologies are conducive for the development of a pediatric

hospital?

B. What design components should a pediatric hospital have?

C. What innovations will help organize proper circulation, separation and

zoning system of the hospital?

D. What are the architectural factors to be considered for kids?

E. What facilities must be introduced to lessen the fear of children in going to

hospitals?

1.4 Significance of the Study

At present, San Fernando has no existing pediatric hospital that will cater children who

have illness or injuries. A proposal of pediatric hospital with family activity center will be

beneficial to the children of San Fernando.

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 1.4.1 To the hospital users: Primary

It will serve as one of the major hospitals for children and it will need

such facility to cater for the health needs of all those children in the communities

that fall within the area.

1.4.2 To the employees: Secondary

It will be beneficial to the employees. The hospital will provide a proper

circulation and zoning of spaces in order to improve the operations and services.

1.4.3 To the people: Tertiary

It will beneficial to the local of San Fernando especially the children. It

will help save the lives of all the children in the surrounding and cub-

communities.

1.4.4 Field of Architecture

It will contribute to the field of architecture regardless on the new

approach of architectural developments of health care facilities. It will be a good

source of reference for the educator and professional to discover and highlight

the importance of pediatric hospital and determine how will it effects peoples

way of living through research, interview and surveys.

1.5 Objectives of the Study

1.5.1 Main Goal

To design a Patient and Family Center Pediatric Hospital integrating

humor, laughter, learns, and fun in order to provide an efficient, comfortable,

and sustainable spaces of the health care facilities. And also, in order to meet

the expectation of the user.

1.5.2 Specific Objectives

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 To incorporate new design technologies that will help improve the

development of pediatric hospital

Strategies: Interpreting the design concept and form concepts

through design translation and using necessary law standards for

the effectiveness of the design.

To provide a well-equipped facility that will deliver the highest quality

of care in the safest setting, and in a child-friendly environment that

supports the clinical and caregivers, the families and the patients who

work, live, and heal respectively in the facility.

Strategies: Reviewing and analyzing journals, case studies,

published books, laws, guidelines, rules and regulation, and

other related article on the thesis topic.

To provide a smooth flow circulation scheme for pedestrians, vehicles

and other modes of movements within the site.

Strategies: Determining the design objectives through space

programming and planning that will determine form, function

and circulation flow on the site.

To create a very personal, user-friendly, and holistic health environment

in which children that are sick can feel comfortable.

Strategies: Integrating new design approach and other factors in

designing pediatric hospitals.

To properly layout and design a health facility for children that will

lessen their fear in visiting hospitals.

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 Strategies: Determining the design requirements through the

behavioral response of the children in texture, scale, color, and

layout.

To incorporate architectural design and concepts necessary for adapting

development design that will create informative to the users of the site.

Strategies Incorporating ideas, theories, and design solution to

the problem based on the written findings.

1.6 Scope and Limitation

This study will be focusing on the necessary development of pediatric hospital.

SCOPE LIMITATION

Health condition of the children Deeper understanding and knowledge about

Focuses on the basic health needs, spaces of the the health condition of the child is not scope

children. of this study.

Site Development

Focuses on the zoning, utilities, building This will be limited on general planning of

orientation and accessibility in relation to the the building.

existing site condition.

It will be limited to the planning of the spaces

Architectural
and other requirements for the users.

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 Focuses in the space planning and zoning

complying with different standard guidelines,

laws, and space requirements.

Structural The structural systems are limited on system

Focuses on the engineering plans and issues to concept only (columns, footing etc.). For its

ensure that the design is feasible for the present expansion, only concept manipulation of the

condition of the site. land reclamation on the site

Building Materials The construction materials to be use in the

Focuses on the sustainable design construction project are materials than can long-stand up to

materials. 30 years.

Landscape The external landscaping is limited only on

Focuses on the vegetation creating barriers and planning layout. Specific species of plants to

buffer. be use is excluded.

Site The land use of the site will not affect the

Focuses on the site justification project.

Table 1.1 Scopes and Limitation

1.7 Definition of Terms

To understand and clarify the terms used in the study, the following are hereby

defined:

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Contextual

1.7.1 Acuity-adaptable

Also known as universal care, providing care to adult patients from a

variety of specialty areas.

1.7.2 Decentralization

Positioning the workstations in the core or central part of the building.

1.7.3 Millenniums development Goals

Millenniums Development Goals (MDGs) are the worlds time0bound

and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty.

1.7.4 Dehospitalization

Reducing the anxiety and not make the patients fell hospitalized.

1.7.5 Pediatrician

A doctor who manages the health of a child, including physical

behavior, and mental health issues. Hes trained to diagnose and treat

childhood illnesses.

Operational

1.7.6 Pediatric Hospital

A hospital which offers its services exclusively to children and

adolescents.

1.7.7 Family Activity Center

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 It is a small park marketed towards families, with small children to

teenagers.

1.7.8 Healing Environment

A physical setting and organizational culture that supports patients and

families through the stresses imposed by illness, hospitalization, and

medical visits.

1.7.9 Children

Child is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty.

1.7.10 Adolescent

A young people between the ages of 10-19 years are often thought of

as a healthy group.

1.7.11 Mortality

A data indicates numbers of deaths by place, time and cause.

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