Thinking of remodeling your Los Angeles outpatient clinic to include private patient rooms? An experienced medical construction contractor can help you expand your patient areas and comply with government requirements for overnight hospital stays, all without bursting your building budget. Here are some design considerations to review before converting semi-private patient rooms to privacy units with bedroom furniture.
Safety during construction
Your medical center can operate smoothly during the construction phase, as long as you are able to comply with safety standards during the entire process, from beginning to end. This can be achieved easily with the help of your medical construction contractor.- Signage should be clearly marked, instructing patients where they may enter and navigate through hallways…and which areas are off limits during remodeling.
- If possible, consider performing loud or messy patient room renovations for after hours.
- Maintain proper barriers between medical areas and construction sites.
- Have an agreement with your contractor about safety compliance and daily monitoring.
- Provide areas that are handicapped-accessible.
Keep a clean ratio
The standard ratio of beds per unit is generally no more than 36. Still, it’s important to consider the size of your healthcare facility and the rate of medical staff and patient flow. Never compromise on workload efficiency and ease when designing your medical spaces, especially patient bedrooms.Choosing construction materials
Infection control is the latest trend in hospital design- namely, using antimicrobial surfaces such as copper when remodeling or constructing new medical center operating rooms, nursing stations, or patient areas.Consider the patient
This should seem obvious, but it’s worth pointing out; accommodating to your patient’s medical needs and comfort level is a crucial part of managing a successful private clinic. Patient satisfaction always pays off!- Bathrooms should be as close to the beds as possible.
- Give the patient control of things such as lighting, window shades, or bed elevation, perhaps with a remote control or call button.
Minimize overhead
Most of your expenses will go towards heating, air conditioning, ventilation, electricity, and plumbing. Ask your contractor about ways to reduce costs through “green” medical construction. In addition to saving money in the long run, you’ll also improve your compliance to government hospital requirements.Make way for high tech
If your clinic is somewhat old, then remodeling your patient areas may require accommodating to new developments in modern technology. Think about providing free Wi-Fi, wall-mounted large-screen displays, and touch-screen interfaces.Include living areas
Today’s patient areas are more family-oriented, and designed with an eye towards providing a more healing environment. Trends to consider:- Semi-private family lounge
- Lunchroom or dining hall
- Private patient-doctor areas
- Library