Hospital design. Room for improvement.

Psychiatric and orthopaedic patients treated in new or upgraded units rated their experience and treatment significantly higher than those on old wards. Length of stay on the new psychiatric unit was lower than in the old unit. Orthopaedic patients treated on a refurbished ward required fewer analgesics than those on the older ward. Patients treated in single rooms were more satisfied with their care than those treated in multiple-bed wards.