How Facilities Managers Are Becoming Patient Experience Champions

Hospitals and clinics are built for healing—but creating environments that truly promote health goes beyond clinical care. Today’s Facilities Managers (FMs) are stepping into the role of patient experience champions, shaping spaces that impact outcomes, and support comfort, calm, and trust. Through intentional design, strategic maintenance, and cross-functional collaboration, they’re helping patients feel safer, more cared for, and more at ease.

Facilities decisions—from lighting and air quality to noise levels and cleanliness—carry emotional and physical weight. And with tools like ARC Facilities making it easier to access building documentation, manage preventive maintenance, and respond quickly to issues, FMs are better equipped than ever to make decisions that serve both regulatory needs and the patient experience.

From Gloom to Glow: Lighting That Heals

Lighting may seem like a background element, but it plays a front-line role in how patients perceive their care.

“One clinic I oversaw had been designed to outdated standards. The interior featured dark green walls and narrow hallways, which gave the space a gloomy, almost cave-like atmosphere. The lighting was inconsistent, with most bulbs casting a yellow hue that made the environment feel dim and dated. I initiated a refresh by repainting the space in a light, calming green and replacing all lighting with daylight-balanced LED bulbs to brighten and unify the space. After these changes, patient satisfaction scores related to the environment jumped dramatically, rising from consistent one-star responses to five stars on post-visit surveys. It was a powerful reminder of how much the physical environment can affect a patient’s experience,” said Jamie Duggins, Strategic Operations & Project Management Leader.

A brighter, more inviting environment improves mood, and reassures patients that they’re receiving quality care. Having access to building plans and asset locations, via a mobile device makes upgrading lighting systems less disruptive and more efficient.

Designing for Comfort and Compliance

Facilities teams must create spaces that feel safe and restorative.

“Balancing compliance with comfort starts with understanding that both goals can be achieved with the right planning. I bring together design and operations to create spaces that meet all regulations while still feeling welcoming and supportive. For example, I selected smooth, durable wall coverings such as FRP in high-traffic areas. These met safety and durability expectations while also improving the appearance and cleanability of the space. I chose paint finishes that could be wiped down easily, reducing the need for constant touch-ups and helping clinics look cleaner and more professional,”

With ARC Facilities, these upgrades can be photographed and shared with team members through a centralized platform—ensuring nothing falls through the cracks and documentation is instantly accessible for inspections or updates.

Healing Spaces Start with Collaboration

Healing environments don’t happen in silos. FMs who collaborate with clinicians and designers early on create spaces that better reflect patient needs and staff workflows.

“In mental health settings, collaboration with clinical teams and design professionals is essential to creating environments that support emotional well-being and therapeutic care. I involve clinical staff early in the planning process so that decisions reflect their daily workflow and the needs of the patient population. Their feedback helps guide choices that go beyond function, focusing on comfort, privacy, and calm,”

ARC Facilities enhances this collaboration by making real-time building documentation and renovation history available to all stakeholders—so teams can make informed decisions faster.

What Patients Notice First

From the moment a patient walks in, their perception of care is shaped by the environment. Facilities teams must prioritize what matters most.

Cleanliness and lighting are usually the first things patients notice. A bright, well-maintained space immediately communicates safety and care. Because of this, I prioritize strong custodial processes and updated lighting systems. In several facilities, we replaced outdated fixtures with daylight LED lights to make exam rooms and waiting areas feel more open and comfortable,”

“Noise also plays an important role, especially in behavioral health settings. Many clinics use white noise machines near counseling rooms to protect privacy and promote calm. Air quality can be more variable, depending on the age and condition of the building. In older facilities, I worked closely with HVAC vendors to resolve issues quickly and ensure a comfortable environment. Patient surveys helped identify which improvements to tackle first, always starting with the factors that had the biggest impact on how patients felt during their visits,”

By using ARC Facilities to proactively track equipment locations, FMs stay ahead of potential issues and respond more quickly to patient feedback.

Facilities and Clinical Care: A Vital Partnership

Respiratory health is one area where the connection between facilities and clinical outcomes is unmistakable.

“As a respiratory manager, I’ve seen firsthand how critical facilities teams are to patient care, especially when it comes to respiratory health. Their work goes far beyond compliance; it has a direct impact on patient outcomes, safety, and experience,” said Jacob Parker, Manager of Respiratory Care Services, Riverside Community Hospital.

Air quality is obviously a big one for us. Proper ventilation, filtration, and negative pressure room maintenance are essential for protecting vulnerable patients, especially those on ventilators or with chronic lung conditions. I’ve seen how even minor HVAC issues can increase infection risk or delay recovery, so when our facilities team is proactive, it makes a huge difference,”.

“Noise control is another area that gets overlooked but affects respiratory patients significantly. When patients are in distress or struggling to breathe, a calm and quiet environment helps reduce anxiety and promotes better rest. We’ve worked with our facilities team on things like replacing loud equipment and adjusting alarm volumes, and it’s made a real impact,” Jacob said.

“I have seen HCAHPS scores improve after a targeted project with a previous facilities department I worked in enhanced air handling and reduce noise complaints in the ICU. It’s a great example of how facilities and clinical care are more connected than people think,”.

The HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) survey is a national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perspectives of hospital care.

Supporting the Mission with ARC Facilities

Facilities teams are evolving into essential drivers of the patient experience. With ARC Facilities, they’re empowered to work smarter—accessing critical documents instantly, managing maintenance more effectively, and planning improvements with clarity and speed.

From daylight LEDs to silent HVAC systems, the work of facilities managers leaves an indelible mark on patient care. And now, with better tools and stronger collaboration, they’re helping healthcare spaces heal more than just the body—they’re supporting emotional recovery and peace of mind, one thoughtful decision at a time.