One of the outcomes of health care reform will be the addition of 32 million insured patients to the U.S. health care system by 2019. This expected expansion in the patient population raises a number of issues regarding planning for increased patient capacity, including identifying space and equipment requirements, determining where and how care will be delivered (hospitals, ambulatory care facilities, retail-based clinics, or other locations), deciding between renovation and new construction, and incorporating critical success factors for obtaining financing. This session will enable you to-
• Discuss the impact an additional 32 million uninsured will have on existing health care facilities, based on current research and data analysis, in terms of the design and function of the current health care physical environment.
• Describe three methods, based on the research presented, that can be used to plan for increased patient capacity in terms of space and equipment to meet program needs, the choice of new construction vs. renovation, and successful financing techniques.
• List various evaluation techniques, based on a review of material presented, that can be used to assess the impact of various options for increasing patient capacity on patient care in terms of efficiencies, effectiveness, and patient satisfaction.
• Describe methods project teams can use, based on best practices presented, to demonstrate the impact of design strategies on efficiencies in patient care as well as patient satisfaction.