The Space and Interaction Trial consisted of 63 pairs of patients and doctors. The pairs were assigned by chance to either a conventional room or to an experimental one. The experimental room placed the patient and the clinician side by side facing the computer screen while seated at a semicircular desk. The researchers found that patient and clinician satisfaction with the conventional room was very high. In the experimental room, however, researchers determined that clinicians could share more information with patients while both viewed the computer screen. And, they noted, patients felt they had more and better access to information, including their own records, test results, images, and online patient education material. These findings are the result of post-visit follow-up survey with the participants.

Researcher Julka Almquist says, “This study provided an excellent opportunity to advance not only knowledge in the field of health environments, but it also demonstrated how this type of research can be conducted in an authentic clinical setting.” The study took place during usual patient visits at Mayo Clinic. Principle investigators on the study were Victor Montori, M.D. of Mayo Clinic and Joyce Bromberg, Director of Workspace Futures Research for Steelcase. Primary researchers were Julka Almquist, a doctoral student from the University of California, Irvine, and Caroline Kelly, from the Nurture research team. Other SIT study authors are Sandra Bryant and Teresa Christianson, both from Mayo Clinic. The study was funded by Steelcase.