Naturalism and Significant Cultural Factors in the Design of Ecotourism Health Hospital
Tārīkh-i pizishkī i.e., Medical History,
Vol. 17 (1404),
6 May 2025
,
Page 1-9
https://doi.org/10.22037/mhj.v17i1.38733
Abstract
Background and Aim: Throughout history, the design and preparation of healthcare spaces have consistently emphasized addressing human spiritual, physical and therapeutic needs. For instance, in the Baghdad Hospital, wards, rooms and even outdoor areas were designed with unique architecture, specialized color schemes and purposeful functionalities to facilitate patient recovery, particularly for those with mental health disorders. Today, the significance of this approach has become increasingly evident, given the role of therapeutic environment design in attracting health tourists. Conversely, unscientific hospital designs and inappropriate color choices may heighten patient stress and adversely affect treatment outcomes. Therefore, this study seeks to explore the importance of a "nature-oriented approach" and the relationship between physical environments and individuals' lifestyles, proposing strategies to enhance healthcare service quality and innovative hospital design methodologies. This approach not only aligns with improved patient care but also serves as a pivotal factor in advancing health tourism.
Methods: In this study, a literature review methodology was employed. Key search terms, including “Medical tourism in Iran,” “Health Tourism in Iran,” “History of Medicine,” “Hospital design,” and “Health tourism,” along with other related keywords, were queried across the Scopus, PubMed, Civilica and Google Scholar databases. The search was limited to articles published from 1990 to 2019. Out of 127 retrieved articles, relevant content was systematically extracted and analyzed.
Ethical Considerations: In this study, the ethical aspects of library research, including the originality of texts, honesty and trustworthiness, have been observed.
Results: The findings reveal that familiarity with therapeutic environments and the application of nature-oriented principles significantly enhance patients' mental health. Furthermore, patients desire to communicate their needs and opinions to healthcare providers. Additionally, cultural attractions such as region-specific symbols and colors (which resonate with local identity) can act as pivotal factors in attracting health tourists. Moreover, integrating traditional remedies and functional foods aligned with medical advice and tourists' preferences plays a vital role in accelerating treatment and improving health outcomes. Finally, language barriers emerged as a critical challenge; insufficient proficiency in international patients' languages among medical staff may disrupt treatment processes. Thus, designing tourist-friendly hospitals must address this linguistic obstacle through strategies such as staff language training or adopting translation technologies.
Conclusion: Based on the study’s findings and proposed strategies for hospital care frameworks (aimed at advancing local health tourism), it is concluded that integrating natural and environmental elements into the design of tourist-friendly hospitals is crucial for attracting health tourists and enhancing their well-being. Given humans’ innate connection to their surroundings and the vital role of natural elements in life, leveraging regional assets such as skilled physicians, cutting-edge technologies, natural therapeutic centers, cultural attractions and regionally aligned architecture serves not only as an effective strategy to attract health tourists but also ensures higher treatment quality. Furthermore, implementing such frameworks can foster sustainable local employment and strengthen community empowerment. This process initiates a positive cycle of economic development, cultural preservation and elevated healthcare standards.
- Medical Tourism
- Medical History;
- Health Policy
- Health Ecotourism
- History of Hospitals
How to Cite
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