According to Orbis Research, the global healthcare facilities management (FM) market is expected to register a CAGR of about 13.5% during 2018-20231. This is on account of the growing demand for integrated and well-managed healthcare systems as well as an increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. In this industry, FM is critical to keeping the organisation running smoothly, whilst maintaining a healthy environment. In fact, it is not uncommon for almost 60% of a healthcare organisation’s budget to be devoted to the maintenance of facilities, with all healthcare organisations looking for ways to optimise FM without compromising patient care.
Jeff Bennett, commercial director Middle East Africa & Turkey at Allegion, provides an overview of the challenges faced by FM in healthcare and how they can be overcome:
Preventing the spread of Hospital Acquired Infections (HAI)
Much progress has been made to prevent the spread of HAI, yet the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the US estimates that on any given day, about one in 31 hospital patients has at least one healthcare-associated infection2. While there may be many reasons for this, the report also states that the physical environment is fourth on the list of HAI causes. For example, door hardware is one of the most touched surfaces in any facility and can be loaded with bacteria. This means is that healthcare organisations must consider how they can improve the design, maintenance and management of facilities to reduce infection risks in different situations.
The need for improved access control
Aging and growing populations, greater prevalence of chronic diseases, exponential advances in innovative, but costly, digital technologies continue to increase healthcare demand and expenditures. A Deloitte report states that global healthcare expenditure is expected to continue to rise as spending is projected to increase at an annual rate of 5.4% between 2017-2022, from $7.724tr to $10.059tr3. This translates into more and more patients, families and visitors within healthcare facilities. Managing the flow of people in a hospital environment is a complex challenge and one that requires advanced, integrated mechanical, electronic and biometric security solutions. In addition to securing sensitive areas such as maternity wards, emergency departments and intensive care units, asset protection is a major concern for medical facilities.
Operating margins are getting tighter
Healthcare organisations look for every opportunity to operate more efficiently and protect the bottom line. Similar to many other industries, operating margins in healthcare are shrinking, while the cost-per-patient continues to increase. Therefore, one of the biggest challenges facing healthcare today is how to offer value-based care while reducing costs and improving outcomes. Efficient FM services can actually generate savings in this aspect. Some examples are having centralised access control and credentials, implementation of engineering best practices and having a solid preventive FM plan.
Staff and physician safety, security and satisfaction
Providing a safe and secure workplace is imperative for creating an environment optimised for staff to do their best and provide outstanding patient care. Knowing that technology and procedures are in place to protect them and their patients allows staff to concentrate on the job at hand and be more satisfied with their place of employment. A good healthcare FM company should be able to track local and national code changes and ensure compliance at all levels.
In order to manage these challenges effectively, healthcare must engage with companies who specialise in this field. A healthcare facility’s physical environment can have a direct link to improved patient outcomes, safety, and satisfaction; physician and staff safety, security and satisfaction; and operational efficiencies and financial outcomes.