Over the past 10 years, we have seen the development of a new generation of healthcare buildings, moving away from the concrete tower blocks of the 1970s and creating landmark facilities in which to deliver 21st-century care.

But, while these are certainly better-looking environments for patients, visitors and staff, is it a case of style over substance?

I think there is massive value in assessing how people flow around a hospital. It is useful for new-build projects, but also in existing hospitals where we can map out the patient flow

For hospitals, this is a particularly important consideration as research has shown that poorly-designed facilities can actually impact on key performance indicators such as waiting times.

An example of this is JAZAN Hospital, which is expecting a major increase in people attending A&E due to the closure of neighbouring facilities and a change in demographics.

Instead of just expanding the facility, or knocking walls out, managers utilised a simulation tool, which maps the unit as it currently is and then predicts the impact of a 25% increase in patients. The hospital commissioned Buro Happold and Smart to carry out a circulation modelling exercise using its in-house simulation solution, SMART Move.