STUDIES ON HOSPITAL GEOGRAPHY FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF PATIENTS' BEHAVIOR AND COGNITION

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This paper reviews a series of studies conducted over three years in hospitals in Japan, and considers the relationship between patients and the hospital environment from the point of view of hospital as geographic environment. The total hospital environment is defined as including patient consciousness and behavior as well as the physical functions and human resources of the hospital. The study method combines observations and interviews from surveys of both out-patients and in-patients, with interdisciplinary methodologies, and the findings provided insight into the ways and processes of how patients conceptualize spatial organization and how they use that knowledge. It is concluded that there exists an extensive 'gap' between patients'expectations and actual physical environment/operational systems within hospitals and suggestions are made for bridging the gap.