This month marks the launch of BD+C’s inaugural Healthcare Annual Report. The second in an ongoing series of “state of the state” building sector reports—the 2023 Multifamily Annual Report published last October—the 2024 Healthcare Annual Report features more than 60 pages of trends, innovations, opportunities, and challenges for the U.S. healthcare construction sector.
Here is a sneak peek of the takeaways and observations shared in the report:
- Even with the rise of outpatient and specialty facilities, mega-hospital projects are not going away. Experts say several factors are at play, including the preference for private patient rooms, industry consolidation, increased care services, population shifts, and inflation. “A billion dollars doesn’t go as far as it used to,” said one expert.
- Patient communication goes high-tech. Interactive patient care systems bring the promise of improved patient communication, increased efficiencies in operations, and greater data collection. One GC said many of its healthcare clients are “aggressively pursuing implementing these new technologies.” However, first cost concerns and IT integration issues can pose obstacles to implementations.
- Trauma-informed design is not just for mental health facilities. TiD was mentioned by several healthcare experts, and not just for behavioral/mental health spaces. Urgent care centers, even entire health campuses, can benefit from TiD approaches like biophilia, daylight, art, protective spaces, and rooms and areas that feel safe and separated.
- Health facilities as destinations? Posh, daylit waiting and exam rooms, higher-end dining options, outdoor eating and respite spaces, specialized spas, wellness gardens, walking paths. These are just some of the advanced design features and amenities that are becoming commonplace in healthcare environments as health systems work to attract healthcare consumers.
- Hospitals make plans for behavioral and mental health. Health systems are getting creative to safely provide care for patients who are dealing with severe mental/behavioral health issues. Design strategies include secure entry points, fortified building materials like impact-resistant drywall and safety glass, and exam rooms that can quickly flex to behavioral health patient use. For instance, one project features hidden garage doors in the ceiling of flexible patient rooms that come down and cover medical gasses in the headwall.
Download the report at: BDCnetwork.com/2024-Healthcare-Annual.
Related Stories
| Mar 6, 2012
Country’s first Green House home for veterans completed
Residences at VA Danville to provide community-centered housing for military veterans.
| Mar 1, 2012
7 keys to ‘Highest value, lowest cost’ for healthcare construction
The healthcare design and construction picture has been muddied by uncertainty over the new healthcare law. Hospital systems are in a bind, not knowing what levels of reimbursement to expect. Building Teams serving this sector will have to work even harder to meet growing client demands.
| Feb 29, 2012
Construction begins on Keller Army Community Hospital addition
The 51,000 square foot addition will become the home for optometry, ophthalmology, physical therapy, and orthopedics clinics, as well as provide TRICARE office space.
| Feb 29, 2012
Shepley Bulfinch selected to design new Children’s Hospital of Buffalo
The firm was selected because of their past experience in designing clinically complex facilities that emphasize patient- and family-centered care and operational efficiency as well as distinctive architectural forms for many other children's and women's hospitals.
| Feb 28, 2012
More than 1,000 have earned EDAC certification since 2009
Milestone achieved as evidence-based design becomes a top 2012 strategy for healthcare organizations.
| Feb 28, 2012
McCarthy completes second phase of San Diego’s Scripps Hospital
Representing the second phase of a four-phased, $41.3 million expansion and remodeling project, the new addition doubles the size of the existing emergency department and trauma center to encompass a combined 27,000 square feet of space.
| Feb 28, 2012
Griffin Electric completes Medical University of South Carolina project
The 210,000-sf complex is comprised of two buildings, and houses research, teaching and office areas, plus conference spaces for the University.
| Feb 22, 2012
CISCO recognizes Gilbane for quality construction, design, and safety
The project employed more than 2,000 tradespeople for a total of 2.1 million hours worked – all without a single lost-time accident.
| Feb 14, 2012
The Jackson Laboratory announces Gilbane Building Co. as program manager for Connecticut facility
Gilbane to manage program for new genomic medicine facility that will create 300 jobs in Connecticut.
