DISTINCTIVE ART SOURCE

Distinctive Art Source is a turnkey art consulting firm, working exclusively in healthcare. We help hospitals and medical facilities create customized patient-based art programs centered on research, evidence-based design and owner, architect and designer input. Our goals are twofold: to introduce unexpected art options and solutions to every project and to involve the local art community whenever possible. Our firm’s architectural background blends seamlessly into the existing design process. Budgets and schedules are important to us; we do not exceed budgets and we do not miss deadlines.

Image Selection: When selecting images for healthcare art programs, it is critical to understand who the patients/viewers are, as well as the mission and goals of the facility. Patient based art programs can be created by combining multi layers of information, including facility demographics, topography and design, as well as patient populations, stress levels and viewing time.

Existing and future hospital demographics begin to create a facility unique patient profile while local topography along with architectural and design elements help to define appropriate images and styles.

Understanding patient ethnicity, as well as educational, and economic background information, helps further define appropriate subject matter unique to each facility.

Patient Populations are a determining factor in image selection. Each population has its own unique needs, concerns and fears to be addressed. In patient based art programs these needs, combined with viewing time and stress levels, help to determine image selection and location. Images viewed in high stress areas for extended amounts of time (ER Waiting) will differ greatly from those used to identify areas or specifically aid in way finding.

Patient Based art programs offer facilities an opportunity to help reduce stress found in healthcare environments. Two prominent stressors deal with physical discomfort and way finding. Appropriately selected images can offer patients positive distractions that may, for a short time, take their mind off their own physical discomfort. Wayfinding may be aided through the selection and placement of memorable identifying images located at arrival or corridor decision points.