By now, we’ve all heard of the tiny-home movement.
Tiny homes are, well, exactly what they sound like: itty-bitty dwellings with just enough room for a couple or a small family to eke out a sustainable and stylish living.
They’ve been catching on in a big way in the domestic world, so maybe it was inevitable that people would start seeing other applications of tiny homes as well.
So far, we’ve seen hotels and inns inspired by the same ethos, like this miniature hobbit tree house resort.
Now, in a move that’s more pragmatic than aesthetic, we’re also seeing the same logic, practicality, and small space solutions applied to an even more pressing need: medical care.
Enter the tiny hospital, an innovative take on tiny living, designed with the specific needs of people in rural, impoverished, and/or disaster-stricken communities.
These miniature medical facilities bring access and top-notch medical care to people all over the world, and give aid organizations the support and facilities that they need in the field.
Scroll down to see how these tiny hospitals are changing communities all around the world!
No matter where you go in the world, people will need medical care.
The only difference is that some people have a lot more access to quality medical care than others.
Here in America, most of us live within driving distance of a decent hospital, but there are plenty more citizens in the world (and even right here at home) living without easy access to medical care, often without any other recourse.
After a natural disaster like the Nepal earthquake or the typhoon in the Philippines, tens of thousands of people are left refugees.
The same, of course, is true of people pushed out of their homes by war or violence. All of those people require the care of doctors and nurses.
That’s where tiny hospitals come in.
Operating under names like Hospitainer and Clinic In A Can, two of the major innovators so far, these pint-size facilities offer much-need medical care to regions in desperate need.
Most often, the miniature doctor’s offices are fitted into repurposed shipping containers with corrugated metal sides.
They can then be easily shipped, just like any other shipping container, from Point A to Point B.
Equally importantly, these simple clinical settings can be fitted for any number of purposes.
They can be set up together in a collection of small buildings that more closely resembles our typical idea of a hospital, or they can stand alone as medical help points throughout a region.
The interior shares that versatility; the containers might be used as simple doctor’s offices with an exam table, a scale, and so on.
They could also be set up as a maternity ward equipped with sonogram machines and OB-GYNs, or as operating theaters with scrubbing stations and necessary lights in place.
Because these clinics fit tidily together like puzzle pieces, and are as versatile as they are tiny, there’s no end to the options to help people in need.
No matter what community these tiny clinics serve, you can bet that, despite their size, they are packing a mighty punch.
If you think everyone deserves access to quality medical care, make sure to SHARE to spread the word and help raise awareness about this awesome innovation.
