Hospital C-suite executives looking to cut costs often don't consider how investments in the physical building can reduce costs down the road.
To be sure, what might look like expensive design elements--such as wider bathroom doors, remote ICU-monitoring and water-efficient fixtures--could cost hospitals a lot in upfront capital costs.
But they could pay for themselves in just a few years and ultimately generate long-term savings, according to articles published in the Hastings Center Report, American Medical News reports.
The report says that a selection of evidence-based elements, including single patient rooms, handwashing sinks in all patient rooms and enhanced indoor air quality, would add $30 million to the cost of a 300-bed, $320 million hospital. But the design could cut $10 million annually in operating costs by cutting lengths of stay and workers' compensation costs.
Lead author Blair Sadler, a former hospital CEO and current senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, says a moral imperative drives better healthcare design. "When you have environmental attributes that contribute to reducing errors and harm, isn't there an ethical imperative to use them?" he said.
To learn more:
- see costs and benefits charts
- read the American Medical News article
- read the Hastings Center Report (login required)