Author: Lesley Alway - AAHP Co-chair

“The average healthcare organization is 2000% more complex than the average business and has five times as much regulatory oversight.”
— Brent James, CEO of Intermountain HealthCare, 2012

This powerful statement highlights the immense challenges that Health Planners and professionals involved in Health Precinct Design face. Healthcare systems are uniquely complex, and the knowledge required to navigate these challenges is spread across various specialised domains. To succeed in such a multifaceted environment, the key lies in effective integration and collaboration across these knowledge silos.

The Challenge
One challenge is ensuring that all expertise - such as staff skilled in Infection, Prevention and Control - are involved early in the planning process to prevent silos in information sharing and ensure seamless communication throughout the project.

Who do Health Planners collaborate with?
As an example, a critical partnership exists between Health Facility Planners and Health Architects. While these roles work closely together, they are distinctly different.  The Health Facility Planner acts on the client’s behalf to interpret clinical standards, spatial relationships, work practices, patient/staff flows, as well as the movement of goods and equipment. This holistic understanding helps optimise the design of healthcare spaces for maximum efficiency and safety.

The Outcomes of Successful Collaboration
By working together, these teams can achieve several outcomes that directly impact healthcare delivery:

• Ergonomic Work Environments: Promoting safety, comfort, and efficiency for staff
• Efficient Staff and Patient Flows: Ensuring optimal use of resources and minimising delays
• Increased Safety: Both for patients and staff through improved design and processes
• Impact on Facility Design: Reducing patient length of stay and streamlining healthcare operations, which ultimately influences the physical space requirements.

The Importance of Innovation and Future-Proofing
Through effective collaboration, Health Facility Planners contribute to innovation and future-proofing of healthcare architecture.  The design of flexible, adaptable spaces ensures that healthcare facilities can meet future clinical and technological advancements, ultimately supporting better care delivery in the long term.