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There is no doubt that the stakes are high during construction renovations for healthcare facilities that require 24/7 operations. After all, downtime during a healthcare facility renovation is not an option when critical building infrastructure is keeping people alive. In a digital age where medical records are electronic, major medical procedures are performed using sophisticated robotics, power and telecommunications services are critical to patient care operations during healthcare construction.
The adverse consequences associated with the loss of building infrastructure can reduce staff and patient safety and increase litigation risk.For example, active constructs can Raises dust and debris, damage building sanitation and put patients at risk. With this in mind, construction teams must pay high attention to infection control during construction of a healthcare facility.
Regardless, medical facilities still require routine maintenance and repairs – just like any other building. In a healthcare setting, the risks associated with performing related engineering work in the traditional way are simply too high. Not all companies have the expertise and foresight to forecast demand, survey facilities and infrastructure, and appropriately stage work. However, an experienced professional design and engineering firm can ensure the best possible care through advanced preparation and a proactive, diligent process.
Best Practices in Healthcare Facilities Construction
Here’s what a successful engineering firm must do before embarking on a healthcare facility renovation in order to successfully maintain seamless operations and patient care during construction:
- Conduct on-site investigations.
Do not rely on existing drawings and “as-built” documents of the building. Although this may seem obvious, it is often bypassed as a stopgap, hurting construction schedules and budgets. To understand the scope of a healthcare retrofit project, companies must conduct their own fieldwork and interview with facility management teams to ensure they have a comprehensive, up-to-date view of the physical condition of the building and its supporting utility infrastructure, equipment, and systems. learn.
- Learn about the environment.
Next, the company needs to specifically inspect the construction site. For example, suppose a company is replacing electrical equipment in a hospital. The company’s team will want to thoroughly analyze the project location and adjacent areas, noting any limitations on the physical size of the equipment, room size and system capacity. If power is lost during construction, any area or operation will be adversely affected and the team should develop a contingency plan.
They will then verify the safe transfer of power from normal power to emergency generators and back to normal power – all without disrupting sensitive equipment, automation and control systems, and operations. Companies need to consider what the real impact of disruption might be. Can a user not use the system for a period of time? If so, how long? This step requires a lot of teamwork between contractors, owners, and employees.
Companies can use software such as Autodesk Revit to create 3D models and lidar technology to map spaces such as mechanical and electrical rooms. Armed with these resources, the team can better understand constraints within the space and identify opportunities where infrastructure can be installed and routed to minimize disruption to other services.
- Make a phased plan.
Facilities often don’t have enough “moving space” to sustain clinical operations during healthcare renovations.Instead, they must create Swing space through the use of temporary modular facilities or phased renovations.
Some projects may encounter challenges, such as site space where new equipment cannot be installed, or facilities that cannot withstand power outages during construction. To address the first challenge, the outer zone wells can be creatively closed and repurposed to accommodate some of the new electrical equipment, thereby providing an opportunity for phased feeder switchover and creating usable space in the basement area. Robust temporary generator arrangements can then be provided in combination with separate different construction sequences, working in stages in a manner that can minimise downtime and construction costs and maximise the existing footprint.
Experienced healthcare designers must lead stakeholders in planning the phases during the project. The phasing document will continue to evolve and become more complete as the project design evolves and more information becomes available regarding operations and critical utility infrastructure throughout the site. Design teams should seek input from maintenance and operations staff at each milestone design phase to fully understand the consequences of construction and stakeholder obligations and coordinate advance planning.
Companies must develop initial phase concepts during the conceptual phase and refine them during final design, taking into account the zoning of existing infrastructure; the impact on clinical operations, including infection control during construction; and the desired end state. Ideally, companies should complete projects in as few stages as possible while minimizing disruption to operations and reducing overall project costs.
No one says building retrofits in healthcare facilities are easy, but ensuring that healthcare facilities can provide the best possible care is critical. Design and engineering firms can follow these steps to ensure repairs, maintenance, and renovations are completed on time, with safety in mind, and with minimal disruption to operations. The result will be a game plan that minimizes service disruptions and maintains operations throughout construction, reducing risk to healthcare facilities.
Photo: elenabs, Getty Images
