Kimball International is proud to announce that its Kolo Pod solution was honored in the Furniture Collections category with a Silver Nightingale Award and an Innovation Award at this year’s Healthcare Design Conference + Expo (HCD). Healthcare Design Magazine, in partnership with HCD and The Center for Health Design honor products exhibited at the conference for their excellence and innovation, as well as their contribution to healthcare environments.

Products are judged through an on-site evaluation, as well as an online entry process from a qualified judging panel of healthcare interior designers and facilities executives. The jury makes selections based on the product’s contribution to a healing environment, functionality, quality and durability, aesthetics and style, pricing, and innovation.

“We are honored to receive the Silver Award and Innovation Award for the Kolo Pod collection,” said Jessica Gubbins, Vice President of Brand, Digital, and Insights Marketing Kimball International. “We believe pods can support many of the challenges we see in healthcare today with a thoughtful and flexible solution. Whether it’s offering a pod as a space for a caregiver to seek respite after a tough interaction or for a patient to have equitable virtual access to their clinicians, we believe we are just scratching the surface of how pods can support healthcare spaces.”

Designed to offer flexibility and privacy in an open environment, the Kolo Pods offer a fresh perspective on respite areas within healthcare spaces. The Anti-Eavesdrop design reduces speech intelligibility and dampens sound, providing a quiet space for patients and their loved ones to make a personal phone call, rest, or be able to focus in an otherwise challenging environment. For staff-specific use, the pods can be utilized for a variety of reasons from dictation and transcribing notes to personal calls and telemed or virtual sessions.

Constructed of steel and sound-absorbing PET lining, the Kolo Pod is designed to provide visual and acoustical privacy for planned and impromptu interactions. For additional visual privacy, partial frost and full frost privacy decals can be applied to the glass walls or doors. Custom decals can also be used to reinforce healthcare facility branding.

The ADA-compliant model is thoughtfully designed to accommodate a variety of guests. This pod features a ramped threshold and anti-slip floor. Fold-down benches can be found on either side, while a center worksurface folds upward for maximum space and mobility. The T-shaped turnaround allows for complete use of the pod’s internal floorplate. The automatic door opens with a light touch and closes automatically. Motion-activated lights are dimmable and the motion-sensitive fans recirculate air within the pod every 3 minutes. The front and back glass can be used as a markerboard and are constructed of tempered safety glass.