Healthcare facility designing process is much more complex than when designing other types of buildings. Health care facilities offer a wide range of services together with a variety of functional units that need to be incorporated in the design. All the functional units are designed according to the specific regulations and code that healthcare facility design and construction. Hospital functions have been evolving over the years with the introduction of complex technological systems that require special consideration during facility design (Devenney, 2011). Due to these reasons, expert consultants are normally called upon to handle healthcare facility planning and design. Each functional unit within a healthcare facility has got its own priorities and needs that have to match the financial status of the hospital. The internal traffic and inter-departmental relationship are mandatory requirements that should be balanced in the process of designing healthcare a healthcare facility. This paper will highlight the environmental design elements of a healthcare facility and the reasons for a particular floor plan.
Hospitals serve different users that need to be accommodated in the facility design. The design of a healthcare should have the input of all stakeholders including patients, support staff, physicians, visitors, suppliers and volunteers (Miller, 2006). The facility design should put into consideration the human needs relative to functional requirements. The diagnostic, treatment and administrative functions are very basic in any health facility that needs adequate space and facilities (Miller, 2006). The configuration of the healthcare facility design depends entirely on the physical relationship among the facility functions. There should be effective movement and communication mechanisms to ensure a smooth flow of materials, people and waste.
There are quite a number of factors that determine the configuration of the healthcare facility under design (Devenney, 2011). The size of the facility together with the number of technological facilities needed determine the facility’s configuration. The emergence of new technologies and medical needs has increased the number of functional units and faculties to be planned for. The shape of nursing units should be compact rectangles or circular to reduce the distance between the ward patients and the nurse’s station (Miller, 2006). The shape of the facility structure is highly dependent on the facility’s nursing program the bed capacity.
Despite the size, budget and location of a healthcare facility, there are certain design requirements that each facility must meet. The facility layout should ensure the efficiency of the staff by having short distances between frequently used spaces. The layout should also ensure easy supervision of patients by the staff through the elimination of redundant spaces (Miller, 2006). The logistics system should be made efficient by designing for facilities such as elevators, box conveyors and pneumatic tubes to help in the movement of patients, staff and other hospital materials. The design should have support and multi-purpose spaces that can be shared by different functional areas that are adjacent to each other. The design should consolidate all outpatient functions probably on the first floor so that outpatients can access health care services directly (Miller, 2006). The design should also depict functional adjacencies that are optimal such as locating the operating room adjacent to the Intensive Care Unit.
Hospitals should employ the use of generic plans because of the ever changing modes of treatment and medical needs. Both mechanical and electrical systems should be easily accessible (Devenney, 2011). The plan should leave room for future expansions by positioning clinical laboratories adjacent to the administrative department. The interior of a healthcare facility should be therapeutic in nature by using cheerful and varied colors so that patients and staff are not agitated. The design should also include housekeeping and laundry facilities to cater for the facility’s sanitation and hygiene. The building should be able to admit natural lighting that is color corrected. The facilities in the building should be appropriately located with corridors and sidewalks being made wide enough for easy movement of patients (Miller, 2006). Emergency facilities such as alarm systems and generators should be included in the facility plan so that machines and systems that use electricity do not stall because of power problems. The walls should be well insulated to protect patients from external noise.
In conclusion, it is always a difficult task to design a healthcare facility because of the complex nature its factional units coupled with the ever evolving medical needs and technologies. There certain recommendations which when considered in the process of designing healthcare facilities can lead to increased efficiency and accessibility of healthcare services and facilities. Those in charge should comply with the disability act requirements so that handicapped patients are considered when designing healthcare facilities. The design should ensure that outpatients visiting the facility do not mix with critically ill inpatients. The hospital should look attractive and create a therapeutic environment at all times. The design of a healthcare facility should also have an effective waste management and disposal system.
Reference
Devenney, N. (2011). Healthcare design and other oxymorons. New York, NY: Bookstand Publishing.
Miller, K. M. (2006). Planning, design and construction of healthcare facilities. New York, NY: Joint Commission Resources.