We have always believed in giving back to the industry. As early as 1993, we were invited to write the AHA definitive standards for healthcare art programs. Over the years, founder and CEO Kathy Hathorn has been recognized for her pioneering work in art standards for special patient populations and innovations in evidence-based art programs.
American Art Resources is the only firm worldwide with an in-house research department dedicated to the study of visual images in healthcare settings. We hope to educate ourselves and contribute to the industry of healthcare art and design, through our unique research focus and commitment to an ethical approach to the practice of healthcare art.
Led by Upali Nanda, Ph.D., the department undertakes and disseminates original research and acts as a repository for existing research on the effect of art and the visual environment and on healing, satisfaction and productivity in the healthcare setting.
We invest in research that answers questions from an industry viewpoint, but holds itself to rigorous academic standards. We routinely collaborate with research partners from institutions from all over the world and from disciplines ranging from design to the cognitive sciences, nursing and communications.
Our studies range from preference surveys, post-occupancy evaluations and focus groups to clinical outcome-based research. We focus on understanding the needs of different patient populations including acute care inpatients, pediatric patients, long-term care patients and psychiatric patients as well as the needs of an increasingly diverse population.
We believe this research area is of vital importance not only from an ethical standpoint in healthcare, but also in terms of improving the bottom line of healthcare facilities through improved medical and economic outcomes.
List of Peer-reviewed Publications
Nanda, Upali, Gaydos, L.H., Hathorn, Kathy and Watkins, Nick. “Art and Posttraumatic Stress: A Review of the Empirical Literature on the Therapeutic Implications of Artwork for War Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Environment and Behavior Journal. In Press.
Nanda, Upali, Chanaud, Cheryl, Brown, Linda, Hart, Robyn and Hathorn, Kathy (2009). “Pediatric Art Preferences in Healthcare: Countering the "One-Size Fits All" approach”. Health Environment Research and Design Journal, Summer; 2(4): 46-61.
Nanda, Upali, Pati, Debajyoti and McCurry, Katie (2009). “Neuroaesthetics and Healthcare Design”. Health Environment Research and Design Journal. Winter; 2(2): 116-133.
Nanda, Upali, Eisen, Sarajane, and B. Veerabhadran. (2008). “Undertaking an Art Survey to Compare Patient vs. Design Student Art Preferences”. Environment and Behavior Journal, 40(2): 269-301.
