Page 20 - SOUTH FLORIDA HOPSITAL NEWS JUNE 2021

HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & FACILITY PLANNING

Designing and Building Better Parking Facilities

for the Healthcare Industry

Busy hospital systems cost-effective structure that Choosing a precast system for a park- surrounding buildings, integrate mixed-
need efficient parking offers the best function for ing project also requires a smaller foot- uses and meet architectural requirements
more than any other available space and budget. print. Structural components are manu- to disguise the parking elements of the
industry sector. Visitors, At Baptist Health in Boca factured off-site and delivered in time to structure.
in particular, want to get Raton, for example, FIN- be erected, allowing for minimized onsite Sustainability: Healthcare parking
to their destination quick- FROCK created a parking construction. facilities that include sustainable and
ly and without confusion. garage that was not only Efficient Technology: Efficient hospi- green options promote cost-savings and
All too often, erecting a within budget, but also inte- tal parking relies on the newest technolo- long-term value. At the top of the Advent
parking garage can grated certain aesthetic and gies to guide people to parking spaces Health Orlando parking structure, FIN-
become a costly after- functional needs that were with ease. Parking guidance systems and FROCK installed solar roof panels to
thought. The good news is requested by the client. The sensors that can track and indicate the provide power to the hospital and offset
that with the right plan- finished garage included dec- number of spaces available ensure that energy costs. As hospitals pay more
ning and design expertise BY DANIEL L. orative metals and wall pan- patients and families who are stressed attention to their carbon footprint, there
from the beginning, the HELMICK, PE els that seamlessly tied the and unsure of where to go will be parked is greater demand for designs to produce
result can be an aestheti- garage design into the overall safely and conveniently. Additional tech- better air flow, use LED lighting and add
cally attractive, highly hospital campus aesthetic. nology requirements might also include electric vehicle charging stations. In
functional, cost-effective parking garage. The garage also included added function- access control, security, revenue collec- addition, the type of material chosen for
Here are some considerations in plan- ality such as secured physician parking tion, charging stations and photovoltaic a parking garage is crucial to the lifecycle
ning a healthcare parking project: areas and electric charger stations. panels. Implementing these technologies and maintenance costs of the building.
Choose a fully integrated design-build Cost Containment: In working with can generate additional revenue for the Precast/prestressed concrete building
company: A vertically integrated compa- one company, from start to finish, that hospital and create a better user experi- systems offer a resilient solution that
ny that offers in-house design, manufac- understands how to deliver hospitals the ence. results in added value and longevity.
turing and construction services can building they want, pricing is often guar- Integrated Building – Multi-Use Effective integration of parking and
lower your overall construction costs anteed before the completion of the Facilities: With the increase in demand healthcare campus access into long-term
while ensuring that your parking garage design documents, which means con- for more flexible and personalized facility planning creates an environment
is both functional and aesthetic. struction schedules can be accurately patient care, the need for multi-use facil- that provides for superior customer serv-
Companies who routinely design and predicted, costly change orders are ities has risen across the country. ice and satisfaction. Choosing a design-
build parking garages understand the avoided and the need for time consum- Designing a healthcare mobility system build partner with the qualifications and
process and often have years of experi- ing redesign periods are eliminated. for these outpatient services is critical. experience to deliver the building hospi-
ence allowing them to identify what Minimal Disruption: Hospital campuses This process will help identify elements tals want without interference in daily
works and what doesn’t to ensure a are active and minimizing disruption to such as acceptable walking distances, hospital operations is the first step
durable, low maintenance structure with ongoing activities during a construction ambulance accessibility, the willingness toward success.
reduced lifecycle costs. project is essential. Experienced contrac- to use rideshare hubs and access to off-
FINFROCK, the largest design design- tors will work to create a logistics plan that site parking and the need for enhanced Daniel L. Helmick, PE, is Executive Vice
builder of parking garages, has erected minimizes road closures and interference wayfinding in parking garage systems. President, Project Development at
more than 300 precast parking structures with patient and employee access while Experienced design-build companies FINFROCK. He can be reached at
across the country and has a team that keeping its team on the least traveled and have a vast range of capabilities to create dhelmick@finfrock.com.
intricately understands how to create a least critical streets to the hospital. structures that seamlessly blend with the

OpusCare of Florida Breaks Ground on South Florida’s

First Freestanding Hospice Care Unit

OpusCare of Florida recently broke ground on
Miami-Dade County’s first free-standing 13 bed
inpatient hospice unit. The new facility will be
located in the Village of Palmetto Bay.
The new facility will help meet the needs of cur-
rent and future OpusCare patients by improving
the delivery of hospice care services. The facility
will provide a home-like setting where patients and
their families will be able to have privacy and
access to supportive care from OpusCare’s hospice
specialized staff.
The oasis-style unit will be complete with 13 pri-
vate suites, state-of-the-art technology, a meditation
garden, chapel, and dedicated areas for counseling,
spiritual, and bereavement services that are not
easy nor ideal to provide in a hospital setting.
A freestanding hospice inpatient unit in Miami-
Dade County would allow for OpusCare to extend
and further enhance the quality and continuity of
care that they currently provide. OpusCare’s spe-
cialized services, innovative facility, and qualified
staffing will allow patients and their families to
have an alternate, independent choice with the
patient’s best interest in mind.

20 June 2021 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News