Feature Planning
terms, how rooms and departments can be configured. Standardisation shouldn’t simply be about reducing capital cost but about patient and staff safety. Evidence suggests that by laying rooms out in the ‘same’ way, nursing and clinical staff can react quicker in an emergency. Any design should also encompass:
Strength of brand and creating a quality experience Vertical integration with community services - so the patient pathway is completed Build in from other industries notably hotel, retail and manufacturing industry process changes Quicker treatments and more ‘one-stop- shops’ Flexible working hours in line with modern lifestyle needs Separation of activity flows – front and back of house, planned and emergency access Improved access car parking and way- finding Better amenity spaces such as coffee bars Good food Provide high level family and carer space
asset efficiency With the costs of hospital projects worldwide varying widely between US$ 2,642 and US$ 7,482 per m² and for clinics between US$ 1,200 and US$ 4,000 per m² (derived from our sample of 18 worldwide schemes in 11 countries) there are many issues to overcome in appraising the project costs of similar hospitals. Whilst part of the difference in cost is down to labour, location or specialty
based costs, much is because of cultural influences. These other factors include national government/statutory standards, town planning and engineering resilience, accreditation, treatment of new versus transferred equipment, quality of external and internal environment. It’s in the interests of all stakeholders to ensure that at an early stage hospitals and clinics are clear what standards and why they want to apply them. Simply picking one country’s methodology and slavishly following isn’t proven. No one health system addresses all the issues asked of it by healthcare in the 21st
century. The key is blending ideas
to ensure each m² provides value and has a clear long-term usage. In our experience many estates could
achieve 10% reductions in gross floor area by taking a more commercial view of asset usage and delivery. This can be done by bringing procurement, clinical and non-clinical uses together and reworking activity and processing. In the most successful schemes we have delivered reductions of more than 28% of briefed area (whilst enhancing clinical and FM zones) and correspondingly revenue savings running to millions of USD per annum.
conclusion Whilst healthcare is a specialist industry, providers should embrace best practice not just from other hospitals but other countries and other industries. Evidence- based design is an emerging science, trying to achieve excellence will at least ensure your organisation moves forward and should lead to better patient outcomes. HB
‘Projects benefit from having one full-time person whose role is to ensure that all tasks are noted and deliverables agreed with stakeholders
MORE INFO For more information, please email the author at
Conor.Ellis@echarris.com
Hospital Build Issue 3 2011 45
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