During the recent challenging economic period and current era of healthcare reform, U.S. health systems and hospitals have shown limited appetite for large-scale acute care facility development as they reposition their organizations.
Consequently, many healthcare design firms looking to maintain their revenue base during this period have rapidly expanded their international reach to offset reduced domestic activity.
There are hundreds of buildings constructed every year that require mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and technology systems (MEPT). These buildings are designed by architects, the MEPT systems are designed by engineers, and both are built by an assortment of construction trades, inspected by code officials and accreditation agencies, and typically require individuals with various levels of knowledge to maintain and operate them.
In the Middle East, a great amount of effort has been organized around incorporating sustainable design strategies. Whether in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) or Saudi Arabia, facilities are looking at a variety of categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy conservation efficiency, occupant comfort, resource efficiency, and effectiveness.
Imagine that you’ve driven a car for years and you routinely get 20 miles per gallon of gasoline. Now imagine that number starting to dip down to 15 miles per gallon. You aren’t likely to ignore that: Something is wrong, something has changed, and you’re going to fix it because it’s costing you money.
The ability to see similar changes in utility usage at a healthcare facility can save thousands of dollars—and that’s where a utility usage dashboard tool can make a real difference.
In my last post, I talked with colleague Steve Christoff about his experience as a patient in a hospital he designed—an experience that gave him a fresh perspective on how he might approach future healthcare planning.
But when Steve left the hospital and had to spend the following month in a wheelchair, he had another opportunity to re-evaluate the design and planning process, but this time from an accessibility perspective.
“The building looks very wide. How do people in this middle area have daylight?” I heard comments like this a few times when sharing examples of U.S. hospitals with colleagues in Sweden.
From a therapy trail to an outdoor staff corridor to a private NICU garden, the possibilities for how creative landscape designs can enhance the healing environment—for patients, staff, visitors, and even the neighboring community—are as bountiful as the flora that decorate these spaces.
In the heart of busy New Haven, Conn., is a little piece of tranquility for patients going through chemotherapy treatment at Smilow Cancer Hospital. In fact, the Betty Ruth and Milton B. Hollander Healing Garden, perched on top of a seventh floor setback of a 14-story building, has become a defining feature of the hospital’s overall design.
As director of project strategy and implementation for LePatner & Associates LLP, a law firm that serves as construction adviser to healthcare facility owners and design professionals, I’ve worked on many healthcare construction projects, assembling project teams and directing and coordinating their work from the outset of planning to completion of construction.
So I’ve become very familiar with the problems that commonly plague construction projects and the best ways to mitigate them.
The development of healthcare megaprojects—those topping out at more than 1 million square feet and 1,000 beds— is continuing to grow globally, especially in Asia and the Middle East. This can offer significant opportunities for U.S. design firms, as American healthcare design and planning remains a gold standard throughout the world and is greatly desired in emerging economies.
But there are plenty of challenges in working overseas and on megaprojects, specifically.
Research in practice is a commitment to better healthcare design, by informing the decisions and measuring impact after occupancy. The goal of research isn’t academic; it’s rooted in real-world priorities to create a better environment, enhance the human experience, enable a better quality of life, and—most important—provide value to all stakeholders by showing a tangible return on investment.
What is a healthcare megaproject and where are they being built? A literature search was surprisingly difficult— there are few databases on the largest hospitals being constructed in the world. More often, there are lists of the “best hospitals.”
The results, however, weren’t surprising: The largest projects are overseas, mostly in Asia and the Middle East, and top out at more than 1,000 beds and 1 million square feet.
