Commentary by: Chris Gordon, Senior Managing Director, Global Healthcare Services

In light of the pandemic, hospitals and health systems have had to reevaluate the standards and design of their healthcare facilities. While certain criteria such as welcoming, easy-to-navigate spaces will be mainstays of healthcare facilities, health systems must quickly identify design solutions to avoid some of the major challenges faced in the height of the pandemic.

One trend offering this solution is creating multipurpose spaces that can easily transition based on emergency situations—having the flexible infrastructure to run medical gas, for example, to different areas or to create negative pressure or isolation environments. Audiovisual accessibility for telehealth services will also be top-of-mind in future developments.

Hospitals and health systems are also expanding their facilities to create flexibility for dynamic treatment situations and synergizing and co-locating certain programs together for better patient access. The redesign of the facilities includes dedicated entry points for patients that allow better circulation of well versus sick populations.

This article highlights three current healthcare developments, including Banner Health and Dignity Health projects, making these trends a priority.