Simone Health Development Companies, a full-service real estate investment company specializing in the acquisition and development of office, retail, industrial and healthcare properties in the New York tri-state area. The firm helps hospitals make effective decisions that improve patient outcomes, and recently shared three trends it has observed in healthcare affecting facility management…
The rapid advancement of technology has changed the way all companies conduct business, but the effects on healthcare are particularly noticeable. New trends provide both opportunities and challenges in regards to facility management making it essential for hospital administrators to guide their development decisions with the patient experience in mind.
Discussed below are three major trends in the healthcare industry and the impact they could have on facility management.
Mobile Adoption . With mobile devices more powerful and ubiquitous than ever before, it comes as no surprise that they are becoming a vital part of the healthcare experience. In addition to providing secure mobile access to important information while in the facility itself, these devices allow medical professionals to work from wherever they happen to be as well — increasing efficiency and streamlining the workflow.
While it’s important to keep security and confidentiality in mind when adding new devices to the mix, the future of healthcare will certainly heavily emphasize mobile adoption.
Increased Number of Micro-Hospitals and Acute Healthcare Facilities. While hospitals are equipped with all of the tools needed for comprehensive patient care, the fact remains that traditional hospital treatment can be prohibitively expensive and often inconvenient for patients. In response to growing demand, the industry has seen an increasing number of smaller facilities that provide quality care for issues that don’t require inpatient treatment.
Healthcare organizations should recognize the convenience that these facilities provide to patients and strive to guide patients towards these valuable resources whenever appropriate.
IoT Devices. The rise of the Internet of Things (IoT) has led to the surge of many “Smart” products onto the market. These have seen massive popularity with consumers, but they have significant applications in the healthcare industry as well.
Facility managers have a multitude of options to consider, with the ability to add in smart technology that enhances HVAC, door locks, security cameras, alarms, and more. These technologies even allow for control of these aspects from mobile devices, making management of the building less time consuming when working remotely.
However, integrating new technology into the facility network should always be approached with caution to avoid potential security breaches. As IoT technology becomes even more prevalent, the decisions needed to balance utility and security will become much more common — a phenomenon that facility managers need to be prepared for.
Mixed-Use And Healthcare Facilities Planning
Simone also recently weighed on how medical organizations can make the most of the space they have available, discussing the benefits of mixed-use healthcare facilities…
As the science behind medicine has advanced, healthcare providers have become more and more specialized. This has generally led to better outcomes for patients, but also tends to fracture treatment across different locations — making it difficult for many to receive treatment from multiple providers. Mixed-use healthcare facilities provide a potential solution to this conundrum and lead to a more convenient and efficient healthcare experience as a whole.
Discussed below are a few of the major benefits that these mixed-use facilities provide.
Outpatient Growth. While major hospitals usually have everything that patients need under one roof, providing comprehensive inpatient care is expensive for the healthcare facility and patient alike. One of the major benefits of a mixed-use building is the potential for outpatient growth, offering a valuable alternative to the hospital for patients that need treatment from multiple specialists but don’t require the attention of an inpatient stay. Healthcare organizations can grow their base of outpatients through a convenient facility that affords easy access to quality care.
Increased Job Opportunities. A mixed-use facility requires providers across a variety of different specialties as well as nursing and support staff to keep operations running efficiently. These “all-in-one” buildings offer better convenience and comfort to patients while also opening up a lot of job opportunities in the surrounding areas.
More Efficient and Attentive Care. A traditional hospital certainly serves a critical role in the community, but providers in these facilities are often dealing with many patients who require frequent monitoring – reducing the amount of time a doctor or nurse can spend with each individual patient. A mixed-use facility that provides an alternative to inpatient care gives providers more time to attend to the needs of patients, improving the patient experience and actively engaging them in the treatment process.
A facility that doesn’t require the same staffing or equipment as a hospital can also lead to significant cost savings for the healthcare organization by freeing up resources for critical patients and offering better support for lucrative outpatient business.
Are you working in healthcare? Do these observations resonate with you and your organization? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the Comments section below.
