Medical Construction & Design

MAR-APR 2017

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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50 Medical Construction & Design | M A RCH /A PR IL 2017 | MCDM AG.COM Rise of consumerism Patients have access to in- formation and choice about their care. As high deductible healthcare plans increase, and there is increased transpar- ency in pricing, patients are shopping around for care. When patients shop with their own healthcare dollars, they demand greater value and bet- ter experiences. This rise in consumer- ism highlights the need for improvement in patient care and experience and the need for facilities that also focus on patient satisfaction. The goal is to improve access to the right facilities in the right place for all patients, while considering consumer preferences. In order to develop and capitalize on patient loyalty, every visit within the same health system must create a consistently positive experi- ence. Health networks need to build a consumer relationship platform and ensure it trans- lates from facility to facility across the continuum of care. Changing technology Technology is changing faster than ever and its impact on healthcare planning is sig- nifi cant — partly because so much technology is required in healthcare facilities. With construction budgets con- stantly under cost pressures, it is important to design spaces with fl exibility, targeting those areas most likely to have frequent changes in scope or technology. It is also important to ac- knowledge the growing inclu- sion of big data and its impact on the hospital facilities of tomorrow. As data continues to become more available, how will it be integrated into health networks and facilities to assist patient diagnosis and care planning options in real time? Technology growth is en- couraging the notion of place to expand even further into the community level. As more patients become comfort- able with wearable devices, healthcare networks can track patients across more sites of care, expanding the continu- um of healthcare. 'Place' is crucial to success The inclusion of place is cen- tral to the Triple Aim equation to address population health, improve the patient care qual- ity/experience and reduce cost. Awareness of the changes brought by the advent of the healthcare law, and the growth of internet access, is leading to the relocation of many of the services to more convenient and cost-eff ective venues. When place is taken into ac- count, healthcare networks and planners can "curate" every step of the patient The Reading Health System's new HealthPlex for Advanced Surgical and Patient Care is committed to advancing health and transforming lives. This regional hospital is home to an 88,000-square-foot green roof and healing garden with therapeutic value for patients, families, staff and the community. HealthPlex: Halkin Mason Navigating Today's Healthcare Landscape

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