Construction Companies Must Adapt To The Healthcare Sector’s Needs

Over the past few years, technological advancements and new methods of construction have forged a new path to promote the evolution of the healthcare industry. The Covid-19 pandemic and the economic downturn that ensued have put an enormous strain on this industry, causing healthcare construction companies to accelerate the progression of both public and private health systems to adapt and meet the needs of patients in a short period.

Hospital and healthcare administrators are in constant communication with maintenance and construction companies to carry out major upgrades and renovations that will help improve patient care.

Here are some important changes to look out for in the healthcare industry

Sanitation and hygiene

The increasing need to reduce the rates of hospital-borne infections and the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria means that healthcare design needs to incorporate more sanitation and hygiene opportunities in hospitals. There have been several changes made in hospitals to reduce the spread of microbes, notably, the introduction of wall-mount hand sanitising dispensers and hospital washbasins. In addition to this, construction companies can also assess healthcare building materials to favour those which are easier to clean and more hygienic.

The growth of Telemedicine

Telemedicine is another trend that has seen steep growth in hospitals mainly due to the Covid pandemic. This technology allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to treat patients suffering from non-life-threatening conditions through chats and video calls. This helps to reduce the overall number of patients visiting hospitals, which has been of the utmost importance throughout the pandemic. Contractors can make use of spaces with an abundance of lighting and hi-tech AV systems in order for doctors to treat and diagnose patients virtually with clarity and precision.

Patient and family experience

Caregivers need to create a satisfying experience for their patients. This mainly depends on the patient’s interaction with the health professionals as well as the built environment. Healthcare design can achieve this by building patient rooms with privacy in mind so that patients can feel comfortable discussing personal health issues with their caregivers. Building companies can also use noise-reduction materials that will provide a quiet environment for patients to sleep better, thereby improving patient recovery. Waiting rooms also need to be upgraded by paying attention to comfort since patients and their families often spend a lot of time in these spaces.

Embracing Modular Construction

The strain imposed by the pandemic on the health sector means that some of these changes and renovations need to be done promptly. Therefore, hospital administrators will be opting for a solution with a higher degree of quality control, lower environmental impact and overall costs. A shift towards modular construction can assist in achieving these goals. We have already seen how modular healthcare facilities played an important role throughout the pandemic as they were used to handle the large influx of patients during this period and were constructed quickly.

About Jerram Falkus

We are an experienced family-run construction company that is well-versed in the healthcare sector as evidenced by the successful completion of the St Christopher’s Hospice, Learning Hub and the Macmillan Cancer Support Centre, among other projects.

If you are planning a construction project in the healthcare sector, you can rely on trusted construction companies like Jerram Falkus to the job done. Get in touch with us for more information.

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