July 13, 2017
The Scoop
The Heat is On
The lazy days of summer are upon us but, here at The Center, we are in a fast-paced, planning-mode for not only the remainder of our summer events, but also all the upcoming fall events. There's quite a lot to look forward to from the July and August webinars and EBD Journal Clubs, to the fall events including:
All of these events offer you the chance to learn about new design strategies to help tackle even the most challenging design issues from today's leading content experts.
I am glad to hear that some of you are using our on-demand webinars as "lunch and learn" occasions - providing teams the opportunity to come together as a group, learn and earn AIA/EDAC CEUs. Our library of on-demand webinars continues to grow - now with over 70 webinars to choose from, you can easily find a topic that addresses the challenges facing the team today.
Stay up-to-date with all the learning opportunities we offer, both in-person and online, by viewing our website calendar.
In the Insights and Solutions section of our website, we offer the resources and tools that will provide you with knowledge that's actionable, knowledge you can quickly incorporate into your projects, along with the latest industry news to see what others are doing. Here's just a few of the open resources you will find there:
As always, let me know what tools and resources are helpful to you, and we'll feature them in our future newsletters.
Be well,
Debra Levin, EDAC
President and CEO
Industry News Briefs
Getting Started: Approaching and Funding Smart Improvements in Healthcare Facilities
Canada’s Royal University Hospital (RUH) invested CAD $13.6 million in critical facility upgrades that will save the acute-care facility CAD $1.4 million per year. The long list of infrastructure upgrades includes improvements to lighting, water use, the building envelope, steam pipes and traps, hot water pumps and the ventilation system. In addition, the hospital connected occupancy sensors and upgraded digital controls to better control the hospital environment.
Elsewhere, healthcare systems are investing in new technologies that improve clinical efficiencies and patient experience. Radio frequency identification (RFID) tracks the patient service process, from check-in to the delivery of service, monitors staff for productivity gains and simplifies searches for equipment and other assets. In patient rooms, smart devices allow patients to control temperatures, position beds, open and close blinds, describe pain levels, order food and call staff.
Healthcare Facilities Today, more...
Design Practices Contribute to Stabilization Unit Safety*
Designing a mental health facility requires special considerations to protect the safety and dignity of patients in a fragile psychiatric state as well as ensure the security of staff. Previously, designs focused on safety restricted freedom, further stigmatizing patients. Today, we recognize that providing both safety and dignity are not only possible but beneficial to the healing process.
The demand for inpatient behavioral health beds often exceeds the available supply, leaving patients who are in crisis in emergency departments for up to several days while awaiting placement. Emergency department crisis rooms are designed for immediate intervention and safe holding rather than treatment and recovery and can exacerbate an at-risk patient’s situation. One innovative way some hospitals meet the demand for behavioral health beds is by creating an inpatient stabilization unit (ISU).
Behavioral Healthcare Executive, more . . .
* What role can the built environment play in solving the growing mental health and substance abuse crises? Join today's top experts on September 26, 2017 in Arlington, VA, at our next Pebble in Practice Workshop - "Behavioral Health—Strategic Facility Design Innovations that Improve Treatment Outcomes, Safety and the Bottom Line" More information here.
Healthcare Facility Microgrids Can Mean More Reliable, Lower-Cost Energy
The senior population is on a path to double in the U.S, and even triple in Europe, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This creates pressure to expand hospitals, healthcare networks, assisted living facilities, adult day care and nursing homes.
Add advances in medical technology, which result in new equipment that needs to be housed, and it’s easy to see why so many hospitals are adding new wings, buildings and satellites. A survey of 3,125 hospital executives last year found that 70 percent had projects under construction or planned in the next three years.
All of this expansion means a greater need for energy — in a sector that is already highly energy intensive.
Microgrid Knowledge, more ...
Five Strategies for Building Up an Ambulatory Care Network
Implementing five key planning strategies can help health systems to create ambulatory care networks that improve patient outcomes and operate more efficiently, according to a white paper authored by the head of a leading U.S. health care project management firm.
Instead of the acute care hospital, the hub of the health delivery system will consist of a coordinated network of ambulatory care points, including, but not limited to:
- Primary care and specialty clinics
- Surgery centers
- Imaging centers and labs
- Medical office buildings
- Retail clinics
- Urgent care centers and freestanding EDs
- Telehealth facilities
Health Facilities Management, more . . .
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