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MCDM AG.COM | JA N UA RY/ F EBRUA RY 2016 | Medical Construction & Design 33 Science & research: focus on fl exibility Leading research organizations place a premium on fl exibility and adaptabil- ity. Knowing that the world of medicine changes rapidly, these companies are incor- porating a fl exible grid design application — a standardized structural grid consisting of the optimum set of vertical and horizon- tal dimensions for a building's structure to allow for radical adaptability to science and research functions. This grid makes these research spaces almost infi nitely adaptable and signifi cantly extends their valuable life. This universal grid concept applies well to medical applications, too. In ambulatory care, universal grid modular planning can allow health organizations to fl ex up and down based on clinic size, demand and specialties required to support diagnostics for this patient population. As an illustra- tion, if there are two providers in the after- noons on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a desire to add a third, a facility that can fl ex to accommodate use patterns based on day of week and time of day is needed. Health providers should seek to incorporate this adaptable design approach into their facilities to ensure the ability to fl ex and accommodate change over time. Additionally, facilities leveraging the universal grid can reduce the typical 10-18 month span from facility planning to groundbreaking by up to 80 percent. At Washington University Medical Center/Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri, groundbreaking for a 750,000-square-foot biomedical research facility based on the universal grid ap- proach occurred in 16 weeks from the start of design, fast-tracking occupancy and saving in excess of $5.4 million in planning costs and accelerating revenue cycles. Air travel and homeland security: streamlined patient experiences The Department of Homeland Security does a strong job of managing consumer experience and proves it doesn't require massive amounts of space to create an accessible, intuitive experience. The department's Immigration and Customs Enforcement division has responded to the increasing number of interna- tional travelers entering the United States coupled with increasingly sophisticated screening requirements by introducing GlobalEntry to expedite the process for travelers willing to pay a fee and sub- mit to additional screening. The model fast tracks certain customers, which has reduced border crossing at some locations from over an hour to under a minute. This strategy could be applied to emergency departments where long registration lines and overfl owing waiting areas are replaced by self-service kiosks and/or small registration spaces — similar to the experience many travelers are having when re-entering the United States. If implemented correctly, this ef ort has the potential to increase throughput, decrease wait times and respond to evolving patient expectations. Corporate workplaces: maximize real estate ef ciency Studies over the past few years indicate that health organizations often have 30-40 percent of their real estate tied up in private of ces that are unoccupied 90 percent of the time as doctors meet with patients and researchers work in laboratories. This is remarkably inef cient allocation of real estate and can be improved by learning from best practices in the corporate world that focus on ef ciency. UMN Health is again tackling this issue by designing its facility with signifi cantly fewer private of ces — none of which are assigned to specifi c individuals. Instead, the spaces can be reserved for hours at a time for personal calls and/or private, quiet work. Strategically located work benches, touchdown areas and collaboration zones fi ll the center where staf can complete their work while moving from one ef ort to the next. This saves staf tedious trips back and forth from of ces and allows them to maximize their time and ef orts. Healthcare has reached a tipping point of sorts. Providers can't keep doing the same things they've been doing for decades if there is a desire to succeed into the future. It's time for new ideas and to look in new places. These are just a few of the industries healthcare can look to for innovation and strategy. Mike Pukszta, AIA, is the global healthcare practice leader at CannonDesign. He has worked alongside many of the nation's top healthcare institutions, providing direction on how to fl exibly plan and adapt for tomorrow's healthcare reality. He can be reached at mpukszta@cannondesign.com. Open, collaborative, technology-rich work areas fi ll the center, allowing staff to complete work on the go. Source: CannonDesign 30-40 Percent of real estate tied up in private offi ces that are unoc- cupied 90 percent of the time. 80% A universal grid approach can reduce the typical 10-18 month project span from facility planning to groundbreaking by up to 80 percent.