Ten steps for designing beyond minimum ADA compliance standards in hospitals

During construction or significant renovation, healthcare facility managers can play a role in ensuring the facility will not only meet minimum ADA design requirements but also will meet the practical usage needs of patients and staff.

By Healthcare Facilities Today


During construction or significant renovation, healthcare facility managers can play a role in ensuring the facility will not only meet minimum ADA design requirements but also will meet the practical usage needs of patients and staff.

An article in Health Facilities Management details ten steps to take before costly remediation becomes necessary.

1. Safeguard the "ADA Path of Travel." Barrier removal is needed from the parking lot to exam room.

2. Require design services to use the correct design standard for compliance. However, as compliance extends beyond design and construction, full responsibility for the project's compliance cannot be shouldered by the designer alone.

3. Spell out compliance requirements for contractors. Otherwise, common construction practices can result in accessibility issues, such as toilets too far from the wall.

4. Incorporate accessibility review of designs early enough in the process so accommodations can be made without negatively impacting other needs.

5.  Design for actual use, not just minimum compliance. For example, ADA compliance does not address the need for bariatric design.

6. Avoid making common mistakes. These include objects sticking out more than four inches into corridors, forgetting that you'll need somewhere to put trash cans in toilet rooms while still providing room to maneuver, and installing deep sinks that compromise clear knee space.

7. Buy at least 10 percent of new equipment with accessible features. This includes beds, scales, exam tables, chairs and mammography machines.

8. Educate staff on the purpose of the design and the function of particular accessibility features. Otherwise, these will be misunderstood and defeated.

9. Create an advisory board with staff and community members with disabilities to provide ongoing review and suggestions for the facility.

10. Create a short punch list of common accessible-design errors and make sure these are addressed no later than substantial completion.


Read the article.

March 8, 2013


Topic Area: Interior Design


Recent Posts

How Backup Power Needs Vary Across Healthcare Settings

Manufacturers discuss how evolving codes, technologies and care settings shape healthcare backup power strategies.


Flexible Design Strategies Help OhioHealth Maximize Clinical Space

Doing more with less was key to the renovated facility’s design.


New Bass Center for Childhood Cancer and Blood Diseases Opens

The new space not only offers more exam rooms but also features 15 private infusion bays to allow privacy for all patients and their caregivers during treatment.


Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Daytona Beach Opens

Hospital amenities include all private patient rooms, a spacious therapy gym featuring advanced rehabilitation technologies, an activities of daily living suite and more.


What Healthcare Facilities Can Learn from a $49 Million Window Failure

A major window system failure at the University of Iowa’s Children’s Hospital sparked a costly replacement project – and a $49.4 million arbitration win.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.