The importance of healthcare in modern times is rarely understated or undermined and there are some solid reasons for that. Healthcare facilities have to be built using a very unique approach considering that there is a need for specific infrastructure to support medical machines and equipment. As such, it is imperative to find the right construction contractor for the job to oversee the design, planning and implementation process.
The Main Differences involved in Medical Building Construction
Starting from the specific regulations to the building design, medical building construction is rife with a foray of necessary requirements and challenges that make it extremely different compared to other types of construction projects. Here’s a quick primer on that.
Medical Building Construction is Continuously Dynamic
One thing that sets apart healthcare-specific construction from the rest of the field stems from the fact that the field is continuously dynamic and always changing. It is also not a coincidence that there is presently a global push for cost reduction and accessibility in healthcare resources. This has given birth to a need for new infrastructure solutions that are not just practical but also affordable. What’s more, each type of medical facility needs tailor-made specifications that vastly differs from other facilities that hail from a different field. A walk-in emergency unit, for instance, calls for different specifications compared to say, a dentist office.
The Field is Guided by Regulatory Building Standards
Medical building specifications bind and direct both technical and regulatory requirements. These will differ from one country to another or even state to state. As such, medical building contractors have to ensure that they are aware of these and abide by them to the tee. Additionally, medical buildings have also begun factoring resilience planning into their specific designs especially in disaster-prone areas e.g areas that are vulnerable to earthquakes, typhoons or hurricanes. This type of planning also aids in safeguarding vulnerable healthcare infrastructure and installations in the event of catastrophic disasters.
The Emphasis is on Patient Safety
The emphasis of medical building construction is on the safety of staff and patients. The wellbeing of patients has to be at the forefront in every step of the design, building and installation process. Finally, great care has to be taken to avoid chances of medical errors or facility-acquired infections when the building is finally commissioned.
References: ChadFisherConnection, AmbianceCA, BDC Network
