Week 5

Reply to the following using at least 175 words per reply. Be professional and constructive in your response. Be sure to use FULL APA references and in-text citations. Please reply to each separately.

1. Let us look at the top challenges to preventing facilities management issues in project management. When planning a healthcare facility or major renovation project it is important to identify the areas for ongoing management of the facility that can become problematic and try to solve those issues in the planning process. Cushman and Wakefield advice;

Healthcare facilities management is one of the most complex areas affecting Facilities Managers. Poor execution and lack of planning can result in poor and even dangerous treatment outcomes, up to and including loss of life. However, Facilities Managers who take the time to understand the top challenges in healthcare facilities management can help reduce risk and improve treatment outcomes.

Healthcare facilities management is filled with unique challenges. Facilities Managers must ensure their buildings are in tip-top shape while maintaining the safety and security of all documentation for patients and visitors alike. Failure to maintain proper protocols for managing protected health information (PHI) could result in the assessment of significant penalties and fines against a facility. In addition, healthcare Facilities Managers face the following primary challenges.

Facility emergency systems requirements are becoming more stringent.
Executives demand lower overhead costs.
Security is more important than ever.
Patient satisfaction and treatment outcomes determine reimbursement from insurers. (Cushman, et. al. 2018).

What are some of the planning considerations the architectural team will need to consider to prevent facility management issues in these areas?

Cushman & Wakefield. (2018, June 11). What are the Top Challenges in Healthcare Facilities Management? QSI Facilities. http://blog.qsifacilities.com/challenges-in-healthcare-facilities-management

2. EDAC: Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification

Let us look closer at evidence-based design and why it is important the healthcare professionals to become certified and for health care facilities to become accredited. The Center for Health Design describe evidence-based design as:

2. Evidence-Based Design (EBD) is the process of basing decisions about the built environment on credible research to achieve the best possible outcomes.

A large and growing body of evidence attests to the fact that physical environment impacts patient stress, patient and staff safety, staff effectiveness and quality of care provided in hospitals and other healthcare settings. Basing healthcare facility planning and design decisions on this evidence to achieve the best possible patient, staff and operational outcomes is what evidence-based design is all about. (CHD, 2020).

What are some examples of evidence-based design in a health facility construction project?

Center for Health Design. (2020). EDAC: Evidence-Based Design Accreditation and Certification. Health Design. https://www.healthdesign.org/certification-outreach/edac/about