Colorado-Real-Estate-Journal_338221

HEALTH CARE, SENIOR & LIFE SCIENCES N umerous factors come into play when planning, design- ing, and building a health care facility. While COVID- 19 has added complexity to this process, many of the issues that health care systems are facing today were concerns long before the pandemic. Over the past few years, health care systems have learned that more efficient patient screening and patient flow can lead to operational efficiencies as well, saving time and money. This is just one example of many that are likely to continue, as the money and time saved through these efficiencies can be put toward enhancing the patient experience. Some critical issues that are likely to remain as top concerns over the next few years include staffing shortages, safety and security, tech- nology advance- ments, and the overall patient experience. n Staffing short- ages. Creating a welcoming and healing environment is typically considered when designing for the patient, but these elements can positively affect the staff as well. With burnout levels reaching 35%- 54% with nurses and physicians, and 45%-60% of medical students, strategies to retain staff are being pushed to the top of the prior- ity list. This report also projects a shortage of more than 3 million essential support staff in the next five years and a projected shortage of 140,000 physicians by 2033. More and more health care sys- tems are including staff, such as nurses, in their facility design pro- cess. Incorporating nurses into the process allows for insight as to the clinical side, and provides an oppor- tunity to understand their goals for not only patient care, but how they operate day to day. This is an important part of the planning process, as design ele- ments can directly affect nurses, particularly the quality of care they’re able to provide and how efficient they can be. This not only benefits the morale of nurses, but in turn can improve the patient’s experience as well. Something as simple as sink placement can impact how a nurse interacts with a patient, which can ultimately impact patient satisfaction scores. Considering things like ameni- ties, walking distances and access to natural light can contribute to attracting and retaining staff. Mean- Please see Miller, Page 13 INSIDE Tanglewood Assisted Living's lobby, reception, coffee and cocktail bar, and fireside lounge Life science facilities include specialized product requirements Senior Living Life Sciences PAGE 8 PAGE 14 The Reserve at Lone Tree will be a luxury seniors community Senior Living PAGE 6 April 2023 Jordan Miller Associate principal, Rider Levett Bucknall Prioritizing the patient experience & staff retention UCHealth Longs Peak Hospital