Planning Healthcare Facilities with the End User in Mind
Steven J Sobak, CEO, Singapore Cord Blood Bank / Singapore Healthcare Services
(Click to download full paper)
Besides building healthcare facilities with modern and impressive designs, developers and architects should also consider long term operational issues which will span the facility’s 35-50 year life-cycle.
Facilities need the infrastructure to be designed for ongoing ease of maintenance, energy efficiency, barrier free access, business continuity planning, security and safety, infection control, renovations, expansion, and general accessibility. While many international standards are being developed, eg JCI, there are many practical operational considerations that should be taken into the design and construction of facilities which are either overlooked by the architects because of lack of feedback, or intentionally designed out because of potential construction target over runs, only to be passed on and plague facility operators over the life cycle of the building.
Certain shortcomings can be rectified during times of major renovations, while others will never be resolved; however both will contribute to higher operating costs which will ultimately be passed on the patients in terms of higher costs. Therefore, lists of specifications should be drawn up, addressing operational issues experienced, and a conscious decision taken on each of the items, as developers and architects also have an obligation to the facility “end users”, and patients.
The presentation will highlight a number of practical recommendations and suggestions, learned over many years of healthcare facility operation that should be given consideration during the design and construction phase. Consider the following examples: design of the facility to take on additional floors; alternative ways of supplying power in times of crisis; ability to reduce traffic flow in/out of the facility during times of emergency; and cleaning and clearing of key components to name but a few.
All parties have an obligation to keep costs down over the life cycle of the facility, so proper attention should be given to ongoing operations after handover and commissioning. Shortcomings will always be managed, but at a cost. Much of the information is based on actual, painful, expensive experiences, or results of specially commissioned reports, but never shared with the architects. It is the intention of this presentation to share and enlighten, with lists of specific examples provided to start both the thought process and designing out the problems.
Keywords: Long term operational issues, life-cycle costs, infrastructure and design shortcomings, cost, lists of recommendations
|