Trend toward outpatient facilities alters healthcare development, design

The trend toward using medical office buildings for higher-acuity care is likely to continue, so developers and designers will need to determine how the functional requirements differ from a hospital and plan accordingly.

By Healthcare Facilities Today
February 7, 2013

The trend toward using medical office buildings (MOBs) for higher-acuity care is only likely to continue as healthcare providers look for more cost-effective ways to deliver patient care.

Healthcare Design magazine reports that outpatient facilities are less costly to build, operate and maintain than hospitals for both physical and regulatory reasons — thus their increased popularity.

Due to the growing trend, the article suggests those involved in the development, design and construction of MOBs will need to determine how the functional requirements, and the needs of the patients, differ in an outpatient facility versus a hospital.

One example given is that while patients don’t need to stay overnight post surgery, they do still require recovery space, which includes room for sleeping, bathrooms, changing rooms and privacy for meeting with doctors.

The article further suggests the rules may soon change for regulating outpatient facilities, and it would be wise to proactively include higher design and construction standards in new MOBs to prepare for stricter future regulations.

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Topic Area: Architecture , Industry News