Concept Development of Framework for Workplace Violence Prevention through Building Components Modifications in Hospitals

Workplace Violence (WPV) is a pervasive issue in healthcare systems worldwide, which significantly impacts the wellbeing of healthcare personnel and the efficiency of care delivery systems. This study aims to review the relationship between the influence of the physical environment attributes and the WPV risk mitigation within general service hospitals and academic medical centers to develop a preventive concept. The review focuses on the physical attributes of hospitals that contribute to creating safe and resilient environments for staff and patients. The conducted review included 22 out of 116 studies after full-text review. The synthesized findings were used to cluster the prevention strategies and develop a concept tailored for WPV prevention through building component modifications. The development adopted Brand’s Building Layers as an architectural model framework as a basis for a six-layer clustering. The study’s findings are twofold. A fragmented approach in the literature regarding the role of the built environment in preventing WPV was revealed. The concept presented the interrelations between the layers regarding infrastructure dependencies. This study concludes that a proactive integration of environmental strategies into healthcare infrastructure planning is essential for mitigating WPV, and how a concept could provide further insights for healthcare decision-makers. Future research should prioritize interdisciplinary collaboration, the development of quantitative metrics for design effectiveness, and the exploration of emerging technologies such as AI-enhanced surveillance. By addressing these gaps, healthcare systems can advance toward safer, more sustainable, and inclusive environments, contributing to the broader goals of resilience and innovation in infrastructure