Patient Safety, Environment, and Mental Health

Dear Colleagues,

Patient safety, environment, and mental health is a multidisciplinary and emerging research area addressing the complex relationship between healthcare, the physical environment, and mental well-being, which is essential for holistic patient care in different settings. Knowledge and awareness about the relationship between the physical environment, safety, and mental health are needed to improve access to mental health care, destigmatization, and the impact of environmental factors on mental well-being. Also, a safe and supportive environment contributes to positive mental health outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers. The importance of holistic integration of patient safety, environment, and mental health recognizes the interconnectedness of physical and mental well-being within healthcare systems. Thus, research in this area seeks to identify best practices, guidelines, and interventions that promote patient safety, improve the healthcare environment, and enhance mental health outcomes.

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to better understanding and improving our knowledge of the intersection of these issues for enhancing overall safety, healthcare quality, and outcomes. Scientific research in this domain informs healthcare policies, guidelines, and practices to create safer environments that support mental health. The use of these evidence-based findings can be used to implement changes in healthcare infrastructure, patient care protocols, and environmental design to optimize patient safety and mental well-being.

This Special Issue aims to publish original studies and reviews, including both clinical trials and observational studies, that examine the following:

• Patient safety focuses on preventing harm to patients during the provision of healthcare services.
• Patient safety to developing strategies, protocols, and technologies to reduce errors, enhance communication, and improve overall healthcare system reliability.
• The physical environmental impacts on people, healthcare settings, and the broader community.
• The influence of healthcare facilities and a supportive and safe physical environment are crucial for patient well-being and recovery.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Juan Roldan-Merino
Prof. Dr. Carlos Sequeira
Dr. Maria José Carvalho Nogueira
Guest Editors

Dr. Susana Maria Sobral Mendonça
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• mental health
• patient safety
• environment
• holistic patient care
• health care settings