Hcs 446 Facility Planning Research Paper

Facility Planning-Considerations
HCS/446
July 20, 2015

Facility Planning-Considerations
The growth and development of any facility takes a lot of time and planning in regards to budgets, requirements, interior design, and equipment needed as well as building design. It is also important to make sure that code demands are within guidelines so that it helps the building contractor and architect. Several factors need to be considered when preparing initial blueprint design by the stakeholders. Noise reduction needs to be considered in the planning design process as well as color groups that will satisfy patients both psychologically and physically. Electronics and other facility equipment should be though of prior to the building construction
because the budget needs to be analyzed as well as planned according to previously agreed upon expenditure limits. Cost and budget projections should be determined prior to any facility building design because contractors need to know what they are working with. The implementation process has some initial stages in which facility planning all the way through the actual building of the facility should have a rough draft blueprint and arranged any changes accordingly.
Regulatory Requirements and Their Effects on Design and Equipment
Health care organizations are mandated to follow state licensing regulations depending on the facility design used and vary by state. Normally in a family health clinic you would need to design enough space for a patient waiting area, a registration area for staff, clinical area, exam rooms, supply room or closet, restroom, and an office for physician(s). According to the Whole Building Guiding Design Guide, "a clinic or health design should be able to provide patients with a therapeutic environment that will provide patients with treatment in a fast and effective manner” (Whole Building Design Guide, 2011, para. 4). The following regulatory agencies required for a health care facility or clinic to meet the minimum design code standards are the Department of Veterans Affairs: Office of Construction and Facilities Management Technical Information Library, the General Services Administration’s ABA Accessibility Standards, International Building Code, Facilities Standards for the Public Buildings Service, P100-GSA, Americans with Disabilities Act and Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities (Whole Building Design Guide, 2011). The health care facility design is also required to follow OSHA and HIPAA regulation guidelines at all times once the facility is in practice.
Color Selection Implications and Noise Issues
The color scheme selected for a health care facility was thought of on a few factors such as the culture, geography and user or physician characteristics (Young, 2007).
However, according to a research study trends in color palettes chosen for a health care facility design do not have anything link them to the patient 's health care issue. There is not enough evidence to indicate that a specific color(s) will have any form of emotional or mental impact on a patient. Although some cultures may associate a specific color to meaning something, in other cultures it may not mean anything (Young, 2007). This research study clearly indicates that colors do not have any links with emotional triggers or patient health outcomes, but it does have to do with a patient’s cultural background as well as his or her psychological and physiological nature (Young, 2007). Although the color study does not have any evidence-based to indicate that one color is better than another in a health care facility, it does indicate that color in a healthcare environment is important (Young,
2007).
Noise quality issues are a major concern in healthcare facilities because it can be detrimental to the treatment of patients and the quality of care given by caregivers (BaRoss, 2010).
According to Baross, there has been an increase in noise reduction awareness in hospitals or healthcare facilities, thus having to address this issue by making necessary changes to standard guidelines (BaRoss, 2010). Noise distraction in healthcare facilities not only does it increase staff medical errors but it also contributes to increased levels of physiological and psychological stress levels that may contribute to a patient’s lack of sleep or treatment effectiveness (BaRoss, 2010). It is recommended to create an acoustic design that helps to achieve the highest performance in reducing noise in healthcare design, so as to not impact patient health and staff performance (BaRoss, 2010).
Equipment Needed
Outpatient or family clinics require particular electronic equipment such as exam tables and paper, standing exam lights, otoscopes, blood pressure cuffs and machines, pulse oximeters, glucometers, thermometers, scale, computers, EMR software, stethoscopes, sharp waste containers, chairs, office desks, wheelchairs, waiting room chairs or furniture, emergency oxygen, supply cabinets, file cabinets, heart monitors, telephones, computers and monitors, central air and heat, intercom system and electronic door locks for nurse stations, etc.
Budget Planning and Cost
Estimates
Budget planning needs to be thoroughly examined in order to best determine any monetary changes that should take place. First, finance managers and all stakeholders have to meet and determine the budget for the facility and if they are willing to make necessary changes along the way that will add or decrease from initial budget plans. If they all agree to one budget but are unwilling to add more then they all need to agree to a set budget prior to the facility design process. According to the Whole Building Design Guide, the best approach to cost management of a project design is to “define the scope, the level of quality desired and the budget. Then ensure that the scope, quality and budget are aligned, followed by monitoring and managing the balance of the three components through the project planning process” (Whole Building Design Guide, 2011, para. 2).
The Role of Stakeholders in Facility Planning and Development
The role of stakeholders generally is to establish a budget plan for the facility. The primary stakeholder’s role is to partake in any activity based on the mission of the project planning and is responsible for identifying the projects objective and specific resources need to carry out the plan (Nordmeyer, 2015). Aside from the main stakeholders are those responsible for the team development process that assist in the various stages of planning. The healthcare stakeholders are also responsible for interacting with nurses and physicians while they provide care to patients. Additionally, the facility design needs to be planned in a way that will allow community stakeholders access to the facility without causing unjust problems to patient care. The facility also needs to accommodate the different needs of those within the community surrounding the facility.
Conclusion
The cost estimates and budget planning for a new facility design starts in the planning stages of the proposed project. The budget functions as a standard baseline to compare against planned resource use versus actual resource use. The interior color scheme design is important but has no evidence-based affect on patient health quality. Although it is important to have a set budget on facility equipment and electronics so as to not forget all the necessary items needed to effectively manage a healthcare facility. It is also essential to remember that stakeholders have a primary investment and budget plan in the facility design. This will also benefit everyone involved as well as a requirement to review any plans or necessary budget changes made throughout the developmental stages of the facility design, which should be approved prior to the implementation stages of facility planning.

References
BaRoss, C. (2010, June). Healthcare Design: Acoustical Design in Healthcare: An Issue that Needs to be Heard. Retrieved from http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/article/acoustical-design-healthcare-issue-needs-be-heard
Nordmeyer, B. (2015). Chron: The Roles of Stakeholders in the Planning Process. Retrieved from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/roles-stakeholders-planning-process-32051.html
Whole Building Design Guide. (2011, April). Clinic/ Health Unit. Retrieved from http://www.wbdg.org/design/clinic_health.php
Whole Building Design Guideline. (2011, July). Utilize Cost Managament Throughout the Planning, Design and Development Process. Retrieved from http://www.wbdg.org/design/utilize_management.php
Young, J. M. (2007, August). Health Design: A Summary of Color in Healthcare Environments: A Critical Review of the Research Literature. Retrieved from http://www.healthcaredesignmagazine.com/article/summary-color-healthcare-environments-critical-review-research-literature