Defining a culture leads to spaces that facilitate patient care and support healing 

OhioHealth approached Big Red Rooster to help understand cultural expression’s impact across the organization and then refine and embody those values, supporting patients, families, staff, and entire community. 

Based on the conclusions and findings from our initial research, our team created a vision for a “hospital of the future” and translated those core tenets to hospital and ambulatory sites throughout the healthcare system.

Capturing and articulating a new corporate culture enables growth

A corporate culture is the accumulation of how the norms, values, and rituals of an organization are expressed. It is an unspoken set of procedures and protocols that impact how patients are treated, how staff is recognized and rewarded, and how issues are resolved. 

The Cultural Model designs culture from the inside out, taking the patient perspective into account and allowing for the consistent realignment of staff’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Building a new hospital facility is a common trigger for reviewing and understanding the people and programming that occurs in the space. As OhioHealth looked to expand its footprint in the market, the organization turned to us to ensure the facility design supported both patients and staff.

Cultural model informs the hospital design process

To differentiate the OhioHealth experience, our team used the consumer experience and various customer journey scenarios to provide insight into the environmental design process. Working closely with the expanded team of architects, consultants, medical professionals, and OhioHealth executives, Big Red Rooster captured and articulated the new culture and created a design foundation that directed the design of all future hospitals.

Design principles extend to affiliate hospitals and ambulatory sites

Creating a healing environment served as the overall design intent, fueling the overarching design platform. 

Warm wood tones and a rich, vibrant color palette greet visitors, putting them at ease. Impactful, visual wayfinding directs visitors to their destinations. An overarching graphic communication system provides a platform for brand communication and wellness messaging. Various seating types accommodate a range of group sizes, providing comfort and privacy.

Intuitive wayfinding creates pathways for families and caregivers

To support the space’s design intent, our team developed new wayfinding and environmental graphics, as well as a new colors and materials palette for the health system. Space planning and design allowed for landmark graphics to ground the space with iconic imagery, aiding wayfinding.