Expert function and space programming improve return on new and renovated facilities
With construction, maintenance and utility costs rising, floor space is increasingly at a premium
| With construction, maintenance and utility costs rising, floor space is increasingly at a premium. When planning a new facility or building out an existing space, experts in function and space programming can not only help you initial and ongoing property costs down. They also can reduce service operating costs by improving staff efficiency, and increase revenues by enhancing patient throughput and satisfaction. The combination of more tenants or services provided per square foot, plus savings on staffing and maintenance can significantly increase returns on capital. For example, one Midwest hospital system estimates that improved space use in a new dedicated cancer facility will allow it to serve up to 20 percent more patients without adding staff or increasing floor space. For maximum efficiency, a function program should be drawn up for building projects. This program lists all the functions that the project must support It should include both primary functions, including clinical services such as exams and procedures; patient waiting areas; and administrative tasks, such as billing and record-keeping; and secondary functions, including building access, such as entrances, elevators and parking; and physical plant, such as heating and ventilation. Each requires floor space and unique construction considerations. Patient volume, number of providers and hours of operation are also important details. With the functions a facility must support well understood, a space plan that allows them to be carried out with maximum efficiency can be developed. Major considerations include not just how much space is required for waiting areas, exam rooms, operating suites and equipment such as MRIs, but also how each area relates to the others. Ideally, spaces should be easy for patients to navigate and reduce the number of steps physicians and staff must take between tasks. Privacy should also be considered in planning for registration, examination and physician office spaces. Needless to say, effective function and space planning for health facilities is complex and requires specialized knowledge of health care operations and building requirements. It also requires extensive collaboration. All occupants of a space, including physicians, nurses and technicians, and business staff, should be consulted to ensure that the resulting facility is workable and efficient. When choosing a developer or architect, look for experience in health care function and space planning. And take the time to involve everyone who will use the space. It will pay off. | Phil Taylor, AIA Tags: construction,
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