How All-Glass Sliding Doors Can Improve Patient Recovery and Healing

Optimal hospital environments can enhance postoperative recovery and shorten a patient’s length of stay (Gijs Hesselink, 2020).  

With a focus on infection control, ease of use, and increased light and visibility, innovative healthcare doorsets can contribute to better patient outcomes and quality of treatment.  

Although different healthcare facilities and departments have varying needs, sliding doors, like Specialist Door Solutions Ltd.'s (SDS) newest product Clariglide, have the potential to bring numerous benefits for hospital design and functionality.  

One of the key advantages includes producing light, bright and airy spaces, which are fantastic for patient well-being and overall experience when staying in or visiting healthcare environments. 

The Impact of Hospital Doors on Treatment Success 

Well-designed healthcare facilities can reduce stress, improve patient safety, and support staff effectiveness. While they might not be the first thought when considering patient satisfaction, the quality and functionality of doors can significantly impact treatment. 

Sliding doorsets like Clariglide, with mobility optimisation, evidence-based design principles, hygienic surfaces, and optional privacy controls, can therefore play a big part in a patient’s care and recovery, particularly in environments where these features are crucial. 

Lighter Rooms Accelerate Healing 

Research continuously shows that exposure to light can positively impact patient outcomes, reducing length of stay and improving mood. 

Studies like "The Healing Environment: How Design Can Influence Recovery" by Roger Ulrich et al. (1991) reinforce the link between natural light and improved patient recovery and well-being. And Velux has investigated the link between light and healing, including how maintaining the body’s circadian rhythms in a healthcare environment aids recuperation. 

Glass-panelled doors allow more light into patient rooms, creating a brighter and more healing environment. In single-occupancy bedrooms, an all-glass door enables staff to conduct fast and regular monitoring of a patient without disturbing them.  

Clariglide sliding features optional integral blinds with tilt functionality for enhanced privacy and light control. 

The Significance of Doors in Infection Control 

In healthcare environments, the spread of infection is an ever-present risk. Door hygiene plays a critical role in maintaining a sterile environment, an essential factor in efficient patient healing.  

Minimising door touchpoints reduces hand contamination, which lowers the risk of infection transmission. The surfaces and materials of doors can be designed to resist bacterial growth and facilitate thorough disinfection.  

Additionally, the construction of a door can influence air disturbance and the spread of airborne diseases - a critical factor in infection control. Sliding doors minimise this risk, making them an ideal choice for ICUs and other high-risk areas, such as isolating patient rooms and wards.  

As mentioned above, all-glass panelling within healthcare doorsets can significantly reduce the number of times staff will need to open and close doors, which minimises air disturbance and the risk of spreading airborne diseases.  

The Joint Commission's Facility Guidelines & Standards (FGS) provides comprehensive guidelines on infection control in public buildings, emphasising the importance of door surface materials, ease of cleaning, and ease of operation to minimise contamination risks. 

The Clariglide sliding door incorporates several features that support stringent infection control measures: 

• Non-porous materials resist bacterial growth. 
• Smooth, easy-to-clean surfaces without crevices and rough surfaces. 
• Minimal touchpoints. 
• Sloping pelmet to prevent dust and dirt from accumulating. 
• Reduced air disturbance with a sliding mechanism. 

Enhancing Accessibility, Safety and Healing 

Sliding doors improve patient accessibility in high-traffic environments by eliminating the need to manoeuvre around swinging doors, making it easier for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, or other mobility aids to move through the facility without strain.  

Smooth, low-friction action and wide openings simplify the movement of patients and beds without compromising corridor or ward space. Features like minimal force operation and wider openings reduce strain for patients and staff. 

Clariglide's belt-driven synchronising technology requires less energy to operate, enabling the simultaneous opening and closing of bi-parting and telescopic doors with just one leaf. 

Improving Patient Experience with Innovative Door Solutions 

By integrating sliding doors into healthcare facility design, hospitals can create environments optimised for improved care and operational efficiency. 

Sliding doors not only fulfil current regulatory standards but also anticipate future demands, making them an ideal choice for modern healthcare facilities when used in combination with traditional hinged doorsets.  

Specialist Door Solutions' new sliding door, Clariglide, addresses key concerns like accessibility, hygiene, and space efficiency, supporting both patients and healthcare professionals. 

Clariglide's all-glass panels create lighter, brighter rooms and facilitate staff supervision without the need to enter each room, which in turn reduces infection risk, and supports rest and recovery. 

For more information or to place an order, contact the sales team directly for a consultation and custom quote.