Steelcase Health Launches Surround to Enhance Support of Families in the Patient Room

Multifunctional furnishings create healthcare environments that foster greater family involvement in patient care

Flexibility of collection provides versatility for all types of healthcare facilities

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.--()--Steelcase® Health, a leading provider of healthcare spaces that deliver greater connection, empathy and wellbeing, today unveiled Surround™, a collection of healthcare furnishings designed to support family members in healthcare environments. With the flexibility to serve as a sleep surface or sofa and features to support eating, working and socialization, the Surround™ Collection offers family members a designated space in a patient room to support the care of their loved one, relax in comfort and communicate effectively with clinicians.

Research shows that family involvement in care can influence patient satisfaction and outcomes and improve the experiences of patients, family members and healthcare providers. Recent insights and observations from Steelcase Health indicate that patient rooms often do not adequately meet the needs of family members and are not designed to help them navigate the multiple roles they play while supporting a loved one who is hospitalized. In many current patient room settings, family members are often faced with challenges related to communication, sleeping, sharing meals, hosting visitors, storage and overcrowding, and maintaining daily routines such as paying bills and working.

Steelcase Health created the Surround™ Collection to better support family members and their ability to be involved in a patient’s care.

“Healthcare environments can be a tool to help providers support family members’ desire to be involved in a loved one’s care, but few hospitals leverage the space they have to do this effectively,” said Michelle Ossmann, PhD, MSN, Director of Healthcare Environments for Steelcase Health. “Unfortunately, family space design can often feel like an afterthought. Surround helps to create a space that indicates family is welcome and supports basic activities like eating, sleeping, and engaging in critical conversations with doctors and nurses.”

Developed with Steelcase Health observations and reviews of industry trend data, peer-reviewed research, and case studies, the Surround Collection addresses many family member concerns. It:

  • supports daily living activities, such as eating, working, sleeping, socializing, and hosting;
  • accommodates frequent, inclusive conversation among patients, family members, and clinicians;
  • provides a designated space for family members to place belongings;
  • enables flexibility of seating to support a range of body types and postures, including sleeping, lounging and reclining; and
  • optimizes spatial efficiency and environmental cleanliness, maintaining clear access to the patient in all phases of use and supporting cleanability.

The modular and integrated construction of Surround is designed to accommodate all the critical roles that the family plays in the hospital room. It offers intentionally crafted features that support family member needs in the patient room, including:

  • Flexible, Modular Design: A highly configurable design that allows for multiple sleeper variations, and lengths from 44 to 104.5 inches that accommodate a variety of healthcare spaces.
  • High-Recline Arm: Curvilinear profile designed to support a relaxed and reclined seated posture.
  • Integrated Sliding Table: A sliding surface to eat, work or engage with other visitors and the patient.
  • Ambient Lighting: A small light enabling family members to read without disrupting patient rest.
  • Fold-Down Sleeper: Intuitive fold down sleep surface designed for a comfortable overnight stay.
  • Easy Access to Power: Power outlets and a USB port located in the arms of the sofa to charge the personal devices that accompany visiting family and friends.
  • Open Storage for Personal Belongings: Layered storage that creates an intuitive and visible space for personal belongings, keeping them out of the way of clinicians.
  • Easy to Clean Surfaces: Frame design that provides complete and easy access to the floor for fast and effective cleaning without the need to move the unit.

For more information and resources on the Surround™ Collection, visit www.steelcasehealth.com/surround.

About Steelcase Health

Steelcase Health studies the places that support health, and then delivers insights, applications and solutions to create moments that can lead to change – moments that support wellbeing, empathy, and connection between clinicians, patients and families. The group leverages a comprehensive portfolio of healthcare applications, furnishings, products and services designed to support more connected care. For more information on Steelcase Health please visit www.SteelcaseHealth.com.

About Steelcase Inc.

For over 105 years, Steelcase Inc. has helped create great experiences for the world's leading organizations, across industries. We demonstrate this through our family of brands - including Steelcase®, Coalesse®, Designtex®, PolyVision® and Turnstone®. Together, they offer a comprehensive portfolio of architecture, furniture and technology products and services designed to unlock human promise and support social, economic and environmental sustainability. We are globally accessible through a network of channels, including over 800 dealer locations. Steelcase is a global, industry-leading and publicly traded company with fiscal 2017 revenue of $3.0 billion. www.steelcase.com

Contacts

For Steelcase Health
Sarah Brawner, 615-610-0323
sarah.brawner@finnpartners.com

Release Summary

Steelcase® Health today unveiled Surround™, multifunctional furnishings designed to create healthcare environments that foster greater family involvement in patient care.

Contacts

For Steelcase Health
Sarah Brawner, 615-610-0323
sarah.brawner@finnpartners.com