Biophilic design in hospital environments: a rapid review of nature-integrated strategies and patient outcomes

Biophilic design has received growing attention as hospitals increasingly seek evidence-based strategies to support patient recovery, psychological comfort, and staff well-being. This rapid review synthesizes empirical findings on nature-integrated design interventions in hospital settings and evaluates their impacts on patient outcomes. Searches across Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar did not impose a formal restriction on publication year; however, priority was given to more recent empirical studies in order to capture the latest developments in biophilic design research within healthcare environments. Convergent evidence shows that biophilic interventions—including indoor plants, green views, natural materials, optimized daylight, healing gardens, and nature-themed digital media—enhance stress recovery, reduce pain, improve emotional well-being and sleep quality, and elevate satisfaction with care. Effects are strongest for direct exposure to real nature and moderately strong for simulated nature. Proposed mechanisms include attentional restoration, stress reduction, positive environmental appraisals, and heightened perceived control. However, evidence for long-term clinical outcomes remains limited, and methodological heterogeneity constrains cross-study comparability. Overall, this review highlights promising design strategies and underscores the need for more rigorous longitudinal and interdisciplinary research to advance biophilic healthcare design.