Getting ready to kick off a healthcare facility construction project? Chances are you’re no stranger to the complexities of the process. Given the challenges, it’s important to be prepared for anything to happen. Preparation is key, and there are never enough opportunities to try to enhance a facility’s impact on operations.
Why a Top-Quality Facility Is No Longer Optional
1. Market Demands
Competition is fierce among healthcare players and any way to gain an advantage through having an impressive facility opens doors to more patients selecting the location for care and more employees inclined to work there. Once it’s known that one healthcare organization is innovating their facility, competitors react in a ripple effect. A facility with the best care and an outdated building may not seem credible any longer due to the hotel-like appearance of many market-leading competition.
2. Requirement of Quality
With patient needs demanding generators, special equipment, and emergency back-ups, new and smoothly-functioning buildings are a must for healthy patients and a healthy business. Smart uses of energy from efficient systems can save costs and can have a huge impact on operational performance. An environment where top-quality care can be delivered doesn’t come cheap, but eventually there is more revenue potential from best-in-class building components. Walter Jones of Buildings.com brings up the valid point that “the attributes of a facility that can impact patient through-put and staff efficiency are:
• The design/layout of the rooms.
• The comfort of the environment for staff and patients.
• The ability of the infrastructure to support the technology used.
When significant changes to these facility attributes are required to augment efficiency, they’re usually accomplished through construction.”
3. Technological Considerations
Ever-changing technology available at patient and care-giver fingertips presents a constant need for equipment advancement to remain competitive. In the setting of a healthcare facility, oftentimes the only way to tackle these innovations in care is through renovating or expanding an existing building.
4. Population Growth
Point blank: people are living longer. This, however, doesn’t always equate to a longer, more healthful life—a lot of the increased time involves time with an increased dependence on healthcare services. With the growing number of people needing this care, there isn’t much reduction in sight. The conversation really surrounds keeping up with the need for more facilities to administer these services.
Building owners and property managers can view construction on their healthcare facility as more of a necessary evil, but there are a ton of benefits to keeping up with the Jones’ in this playing field. When these types of projects can be managed entirely by a construction manager, there are turn-key solutions that cause little stress and risk. When you have the unique needs and quality requirement characterized by the healthcare sector, there is no room to not engage a healthcare construction expert.
Sources referenced: http://www.buildings.com/article-details/articleid/6470/title/healthcare-construction-drivers-challenges-and-solutions.aspx