Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Community and Physician, cilt.41, sa.2, ss.126-138, 2026 (Scopus, TRDizin)
The health policies implemented in Turkey within the framework of the Transformation in Health Program published in 2003 have led to a change in the architecture of public health facilities, as well as in every component of healthcare services, up to the present day. While the focus is on the practices implemented by the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey, architectural standards published for use in the design and construction of public health facilities play an important role in this transformation process, which is also influenced by various actors and parameters. A significant portion of the standards that play decisive roles in a wide spectrum ranging from the architectural features or spatial elements of healthcare facilities constructed during this period to the quality and functionality of healthcare services, are codified in writing through guidelines or circulars published by the Turkish Ministry of Health. In this context, the article aims to create a comprehensive framework regarding the general state and development process of public healthcare building architecture in Turkey by conducting an examination focusing on these architectural standards. Since it is not possible to address all the standards that have emerged in this process, the article focuses on the design standards and their applications for basic service units in healthcare facilities. In addition to examining the objectives behind the development of architectural standards in the healthcare context and their positive impacts, the article also presents observations, critiques, and recommendations regarding certain challenges that may arise in terms of their content and practical implementation. The article also provides a general overview of some key factors and developments that have influenced the evolution of public health facility architecture beyond standard practices, as well as how these have been reflected in architectural design.