The patient experience is one, if not the main, priority of many healthcare organizations today. Patient experience has been described as patient centered care, an orchestrated set of activities meaningfully customized for each patient, providing excellent customer service, and creating a healing environment. Given that patient outcomes are now the basis for healthcare reimbursements and incentives, traditional processes are being challenged. It is imperative to understand which variables maximize patient experience now more than ever. This article, as seen in the international, multidisciplinary and peer-reviewed Patient Experience Journal, is intended to provide an overview on which organizational and design variables can influence the patient experience positively and how the patient experience can lead to improved clinical outcomes. Design solutions within the hospital environment that positively impact these variables are also discussed.
