The Art of Health Services Delivery

Why is art such a potent management tool for patients and staff in the health area?

The answer lies in the power of art to elicit  an emotional response from human beings - we don't just look at a painting or photograph , we respond to it - even though this response may be sub-conscious.

It is well known, for example, that human being instinctively react positively to  the depiction of nature, whether  in paintings , prints,  photographs or sculpture.

Carefully selected images can elicit a calming response in environments where patients are stressed or frightened, generate excitement and interest in environments where patients  can  benefit from visual stimulation while   providing emotional  relief  for pressured doctors and nursing staff.

This does not mean that any scenic calendar shot  hung on a wall will be effective. We at kb Art believe that bland, cliché-ridden visuals elicit a bland response, while fresh impactful images  break through the blandness  barrier to  deliver a heightened emotional response - whether it be calmness, reassurance or awareness.
 

In residential aged care, facilities, for example, carefully chosen art can help identify and signpost specific areas and create a familiar environment that will help trigger memories. Even vintage images that reflect the resident's youth can be reassuring and helpful.

Above all, healing art should be human. One hospital in the UK for example,  commissioned engaging sculptures of chimpanzees in bright colours, knowing the  fascination and affection most human beings have for chimps.

Thus, by demanding more from your art budget , you can achieve a much more distinctive and positive result  from it it's  the quality of project management and the careful selection  of the artworks that defines each organisation  and delivers the desired viewer response.