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HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & FACILITY PLANNING

Considerations for Post-Coronavirus Hospital Design

Each day the news bombards
me with stories and images of
overwhelmed hospitals and
healthcare workers battling
COVID-19. While the coron-
avirus pandemic is full of
unknowns and has created more
questions than we have answers
for, one thing is clear: many of
our hospitals lack the flexibility
to accommodate the surge of
patients and the medical profes-
sionals treating them. BY MARGARET
As health systems and health- SUTTON, AIA
care providers consider how we
can avoid repeating the current national Emergency Department nication with physicians regarding drug ing telehealth visits.
crisis, we have an opportunity to com- availability and applications, design pro- As health systems take it one day at a
bine healthcare data with design knowl- The pandemic has identified numerous fessionals should consider adding phar- time, our job as design professionals is to
edge to analyze how current hospitals are challenges in today’s emergency depart- macist touchdown stations on bed floors remember that the coronavirus pandemic
performing and which design elements ments, which act as gateways to our hos- so that they can work hand-in-hand with will have long-term implications on how
could play a role in defending against the pitals. The emergency physician is providers during surge events. we design hospitals. From being proac-
next health crisis. Keep reading for my responsible for determining who is at tive with patient unit design and strategi-
thoughts on the hospital spaces and risk, who is infectious and who is not, Telehealth cally locating supplies and PPE to con-
infrastructure we should consider as we while at the same time limiting exposure Health systems are pushing patients sidering technology’s impact, we have a
think about what’s next. and keeping healthcare staff safe. From towards virtual visits for both virus con- responsibility as designers to use this
the moment patients arrive at the check-
Administrative Offices and in or reception desk, measures should be tainment and cost reduction. As experience to inform the future of
Other High-Density Areas taken to create separation and contain providers begin implementing more tele- healthcare design and defend against
Just like any workplace, hospitals’ germs. health services post-pandemic, hospitals devastating health events.
should consider how the increased activ-

administrative offices and ancillary While it’s every hospital’s goal to have ity will affect their IT infrastructure. Margaret Sutton, AIA, LEED AP,
departments arrange staff in close quar- minimal or zero emergency department Additionally, it may be wise to create des- is a senior architect in Gresham Smith’s
ters. However, thanks to the pandemic, wait times, the reality is that there are ignated rooms for providers to use dur- Nashville Healthcare studio.
dense packing may be a thing of the past. often significant waits. Future waiting
Health systems should examine their rooms will likely see smaller seating
workforce mobility before considering groups surrounded by low walls or deco-
whether they need to increase square- rative panels that provide separation and
feet-per-person in high-density areas, or privacy. Fabrics and seamless finishes
reduce square footage and offer fewer that can withstand harsher cleaning solu-
permanent work spaces and more touch- tions will need to be incorporated
down spaces for employees who will throughout the space as well.
more frequently work from home. In Additionally, emergency departments’
other departments where working air change rates should be increased to
remotely is not an option, such as labora- enable conversion to negative pressure
tories and pharmacies, consider spacing relative to adjacent hospital zones, as
and arranging benches, furniture and well as allow the emergency department
equipment to reduce cross traffic and to be 100% exhausted with no air recir-
provide separation. culation. Increasing air change rates and
exhaust would help the ED mimic the
Patient Rooms pressures in isolation rooms and should
While we’ve heard a great deal about especially be considered for all waiting
intensive care unit capacity, it’s important areas where potentially infectious
to remember that not all COVID-19 patients could be present.

patients are in the ICU. Many patients HVAC
have spent their time in typical
medical/surgical patient rooms and other Heating, ventilation and air condition-
non-traditional areas of the hospital, ing systems throughout hospitals are
especially now that some doctors are space/unit specific, making it difficult
turning to less invasive treatment meth- and expensive to change or enhance its
ods to boost oxygen levels. However, use for the space it serves. In many facil-
while less invasive, these treatment ities, the lack oxygen has prohibited the
methods actually pose a greater risk to use of available space as patient care
healthcare workers as leaky masks can areas. As designers, we should consider Healing environments. Inspired design.
expose virus particles. integrating more robust HVAC infra-
To mitigate virus spread we should structure so that spaces can be converted
examine the need for additional negative as quickly and efficiently as possible, In practice since 1915, we know that exceptional healthcare design
pressure rooms in both ICUs and enabling providers to create temporary optimizes clinical operations, healthcare delivery, and capital resource
med/surg units. In addition to designing patient treatment areas safe for patients management. We apply evidence-based design and research to create
flexible spaces that can adapt quickly, we and staff. patient-focused environments that meet strategic goals, maximize

should also consider creating units that Pharmacy budget, streamline operations, and adapt to tomorrow’s needs. With
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Such zones, such as “cold” staff areas care is a drug shortage. In addition to
and “hot” patient rooms, could reduce creating a system-wide drug shortage
the risk to staff by allowing freer move- plan, health systems should decide if
ment and reducing the amount of neces- high-demand medications and other 800 N.W. 62nd Ave, Suite 100, Miami, FL 33126
sary PPE within portions of the unit. needed supplies will be stockpiled leoadaly.com
onsite. Additionally, to enhance commu-

South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com September 2020 17