At the moment they feel most vulnerable, patients and family members typically find themselves in impersonal hospital rooms and uncomfortable clinic waiting areas, treated more like a number than a person. But some pioneering facilities are doing things differently — with simple strategies, like brightly painted walls and space for family photos, and more intricate ones, like engaging loved ones in processes of care and redesigning clinics to add warmth and privacy. Are there universal principles of health system design across geographic, cultural and income contexts? What dignity-enhancing models can be transferred across settings? Peter Drobac, Rushika Fernandopulle, Brent James, Kurt Newman, Liz Ogbu