<img src="https://secure.insightful-cloud-365.com/264240.png" style="display:none;">
The HEPACART Blog

4 Hospital Construction Time Saving Measures

Because of the stakeholders involved in any healthcare construction project, moving forward can feel like trying to do the backstroke in a pool full of molasses. From applying for permits, getting board approvals, and potentially even levying new taxes for public hospital funds, these types of projects take a lot of time.

The bureaucracy involved in hospital construction projects makes sense because lives are at stake with every decision. As a hospital contractor, you want to be able to work within this challenging framework while still being efficient.

Following are five ways that a hospital construction team can save time without sacrificing quality or compliance.

 

Choose the Right Team

 

It should go without saying that assembling the right team for your project is key to making sure the process runs smoothly and is time efficient. While you may already have the construction personnel in your corner that you need, it’s also important to enlist experienced facility team members. In the case of a renovation project, it can be especially helpful to have someone on board who was at the hospital when it was initially built, as he or she can provide invaluable insight.

With experience on your side, you are less likely to face delays that come along with constant questions and common mistakes.

 

Thorough Planning and Investigation

 

When you fail to plan, you are planning to fail. We’ve all heard that aphorism at some point in our lives and it couldn’t be truer than it is when it comes to hospital construction. Whether building a facility from the ground up or gutting and renovating existing structures, planning is critical.

Without a plan in place that addresses potential trouble spots and accounts for potential delays, you can encounter any number of surprises, leading to major setbacks skyrocketing costs. You don’t have to look far to find examples of hospitals that have been held up by any number of unexpected issues, like this one in California, this one in Pennsylvania, or this one in Texas. And those stories are all from 2016. Give yourself every chance of avoiding dreaded delays when you plan for as many scenarios as possible.

 

Consider Modular Construction

 

Modular construction may not be the first possibility that comes to mind for healthcare construction, but according to one recent survey hospitals and healthcare facilities are leading the market in modular construction utilization with 49% of projects using it to some degree. Modular construction can be a helpful, time-saving measure for construction projects because it allows pre-fabricated pieces to be easily assembled on site, quickly taking projects from beginning to end.

Further, the use of modular construction does not only improve efficiency for the construction process but also for hospital operations. Facilities can operate with more efficiency because they can quickly change the purpose of any room, wing, or even floor when all are similarly designed and assembled. This functional flexibility can be extremely useful in a healthcare environment where needs are consistently changing.

 

Renovation Over New Construction

 

The decision to renovate or build from scratch takes many different perspectives into consideration. While renovation does not always necessarily take less time than new construction, on average, it does. When addressing facility concerns, it is important to look at existing facilities and find ways to breathe new life into existing structures, even if that means completely repurposing an area of the facility. For example, an older patient wing may be too far gone or too small to meet current patient needs, but could still be renovated to a functional and modern administrative wing.

While infection control can present a challenge during hospital renovation projects, the right tools can make all the difference. For instance, a portable hospital anteroom can be a great solution for keeping pathogens and dust away from operational areas during a renovation project.

 

Do you have a project that could benefit from the use of an anteroom? Click below to take our project assessment. 

View Catalog

 

Download our pricing guide