Healthcare facility design and construction experts should keep an eye on several trends next year, including the healthcare industry's quest for sustainability and increased uses of technology, according to Simone Health, a healthcare architecture firm.
Four healthcare facility construction trends to watch in 2020, according to Simone Health, which was cited in Facility Management Magazine.
1. Multiuse facilities will become more popular. Hospitals and health systems are increasingly building facilities that can accommodate patients in need of mixed levels of medical services, including primary care, inpatient services and pharmacy. The mixed-use facilities have become more popular and will continue to be popular in 2020 due to the increased emphasis on coordinated patient care and improved patient outcomes. In the past, convenience was often missing from major healthcare facilities, according to Simone Health.
2. Technology will be used to its full potential. When constructing healthcare facilities, hospital and health system leaders will look to integrate updated technology as much as possible to allow physicians and other clinicians to better understand patient needs and diagnose conditions faster. A recent example of a new hospital that implemented technology and designed its hospital to accomodate the technology is Stanford (Calif.) Hospital. The hospital, which opened Nov. 17, includes a staff of about two dozen robots in charge of performing repetitive, mechanical tasks at the facility.
3. Sustainability will remain at the forefront of facility design. Healthcare facilities use large amounts of energy and resources to operate. However, hospitals are paying more attention to their carbon footprint and will keep green options in mind to generate savings and long-term value.
4. Cost-containment will be top of mind. Healthcare leaders will remain focused on opportunities to save money when it comes to building design as industry headwinds pressure hospital margins.
Read the full report here.