Compliance is a critical concern in every aspect of the healthcare industry, and in particular, in the maintenance of facilities. When accrediting organizations, like The Joint Commission, arrive onsite for surveys, they examine everything and anything that impacts patient care and that includes facilities-related elements such as cleanliness, clearly marked and accessible exits, the facility's ability to minimize the effects of smoke and heat, safety equipment maintenance and so much more. Every day of the year, healthcare facilities management teams must be proactive about these compliance concerns. Once an inspection or survey is underway, it’s already too late to address facilities-related deficiencies.

Major transformation is underway in the healthcare sector.

Facility managers in the healthcare sector are tasked with a myriad of constraints—from ageing infrastructure to staying compliant amidst constant changes to health and safety regulations to shrinking budgets. Therefore it is critical to know how every building, physical asset and system in your care is performing as well as where there are opportunities for facility optimization.

Now more than ever, patients have become more like consumers, and medical purchasing power has shifted from providers and insurers to the individual. This change has created a unique marketplace for healthcare services, which places a heightened emphasis on patient care as well as the physical environment's role in patient perception of the quality of care offered.

The face of healthcare facilities has shifted massively in the 21st century - with even greater changes happening in recent years. Major trends are transforming how healthcare organizations deliver patient care and manage facilities. And as the healthcare industry shifts toward value-based population health, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) continue to accelerate, creating mega-sized, nontraditional health systems. Meanwhile, the industry continues to grapple with rigid compliance regulation and increasing costs. As a disruptor in the field of capital planning, facilities management, and the built environment, we know the value of staying on top of developing issues. Here we discuss the top 3 trends impacting healthcare facilities management now:

Climate change has become one of the greatest concerns of our time, especially for those who manage hospitals and healthcare physical assets and infrastructure. Designing buildings that are truly sustainable and resilient means taking into account the potential side effects of climate change.