Project brief




Tampere University Hospital is a large regional hospital with a staff of over 7500. Yearly the hospital treats over 160 000 patients. Recently, the hospital has started a large development program of which one part focuses on improving patient-centered treatment.

The first pilot was started during spring 2011. This first phase studied the treatment of patients with sarcoma-type cancer. The aim was to find ways for improving their treatment experience and to study their reactions to possible treatment time cuts. A secondary aim was to introduce the organization to a designerly approach to service development. During the pilot an employee at the hospital took design method classes and participated intensively in the design research process. In this way the organization developed capabilities for carrying out further design work semi-independently.

The second phase of the project deals with physical prototyping of new hospital spaces. In the coming years the building is undergoing significant remodeling, including the construction of a new hospital wing. The prototyping activity aims to introduce the requirements of patients and staff to the architectural design of new spaces. This work is currently under planning and a prototyping workshop will be arranged in May 2012.