The majority of recent healthcare reform focus has been on cost, access and quality. Part of the cost aspect that has not been critiqued by anyone in the recent past is the certificate of need (CON) process. A certificate of need is an approval by a state that allows a healthcare project to be built. Originally a federal… [Read more…]
June 27, 2011
If the idea of integrated design and construction procurement still has a funny ring to it, I can sympathize with the position: “I want the benefits and truth in black and white”. Let’s take a look inside the concept from the approach of a consultant. Pulling excerpts from Production and Operations Analysis, Fifth Edition by Steven Nahmias, a… [Read more…]
June 24, 2011
Question: why all this fuss about lean in healthcare? Answer: there are three current industry preoccupations providing lean with interest and momentum. Healthcare Reform. The genesis of healthcare reform law is waste. On some level, the federal government believes 1/3 of all current patient care dollars spent are excess—duplication, unnecessary procedures, inefficient processes. Lean processes can fix this. ‘Do More with… [Read more…]
June 22, 2011
Earlier this year, Kaiser Permanente put out a challenge to all healthcare designers: find a way to design a better small hospital model. KP was looking for creative solutions to increase quality and facilitate better outcomes through new technologies and patient-centered design research. Last week the three finalists were chosen: Mazzetti Nash Lipsey Burch, Aditazz,… [Read more…]
June 20, 2011
Becker’s Hospital Review published a good summary of the evolution of non-profit hospital status by Steve Ronstrom, CEO of Hospital Sisters Health System, Western Wisconsin division. The article does a succinct job of differentiating non-profit and for-profit hospital management, and how each mission is different—in general, the trade of tax-free operation in exchange for offering care to… [Read more…]
June 17, 2011
Commissioning is being pushed on hospitals a lot, and rightly so. It provides crucial data, knowledge, and adds rigor to the facilities management process to get the best performance out of your hospital, MOB or clinic. Commissioning is like voluntarily getting a health assessment done if nothing is wrong with you. You think, why do… [Read more…]
June 15, 2011
Sometimes a good idea can be the wrong idea if addressed at the wrong scale. Modularity is a good example of this. Modularity, or the use of a repeatable piece or finite ‘kit of parts’ in the design and construction of something, has been discussed for decades as a possibility for major time and cost… [Read more…]
June 14, 2011
Design is lucky to be so tightly connected to developments in materials science because materials research and development is receiving a lot of emphasis by scientists. This has translated well to products in the design and construction market. I am amazed at the improvement in healthcare furnishings in the past ten to fifteen years. Back in the day chairs that… [Read more…]
June 13, 2011
Healthcare treatment can get pretty complicated given the technology, engineering and skill required to treat some patients. Yet, some of the most simple aspects can pose the greatest threats to a system. Case in point: when I first heard of an American Red Cross blood shortage years ago, I struggled to comprehend. Then I realized… [Read more…]
June 10, 2011
Dedicated circulation and room bay sizes are easy targets for more judicious use of precious healthcare square footage. Yet overlooked in the search for big-time facility savings is the administrative area. The executive suite can be a sign of the times for any facility. I remember doing a courthouse addition in Baltimore early in my… [Read more…]
June 29, 2011
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