Most physicians have the aspiration to start their own healthcare facility, a place where they will be able to provide world-class healthcare to their patients and nurture their wellness at their own terms.

 If you too are embarking on this journey, you must be aware that one of the first steps will be deciding where to base your healthcare unit…. which means planning the location of your hospital. This decision is of paramount importance as your location has the power to determine the success of your hospital.

Your hospital site’s location has a direct impact on patient experience which will reflect on your brand image and reputation. All these parameters are the influential factors to success. Hence, you should make this decision after careful consideration and in-depth analysis.

Many first-time healthcare entrepreneurs invest in a site without cautiously exploring all aspects and then land in a bottomless quarry of trouble.

Listing five common mistakes in site selection

1. Mistake 1

Selection of an expensive site

Aspiration and ambition both should always be within your budget. Some healthcare entrepreneurs make the mistake of investing in a site that is way beyond their budgets and then end up in postponing their breakeven points, sometimes even losses and bankruptcy. As real estate prices are soaring to the skies, especially in cosmopolitan cities, you should not make the mistake of selecting a site that is way beyond your means and can cut an irreparable hole in your pocket.

2. Mistake 2

Selecting an Inaccessible site

One of the factors that patients consider while making hospital choices is accessibility. In times of emergency and ill-health, convenience is among the top-priority considerations for patients. Hence, be sure to avoid a site that is in a narrow alley or is too isolated and cut-off from a central location.

Be sure to narrow down on a site that is within reach of the multitudes that is it is well-connected by public transport.

For e.g. If you are planning to start an emergency-centric hospital like a cardiac unit or a gynaecological hospital, choose a site that is well-connected by roads, so that the patient can rush there speedily in an emergency.

Convenience can enhance compliance. A hospital that is within reach commuting easy for the patients, especially if repeat visits and follow-up are involved.

Accessibility can improve patient experience and lead to augmented hospital’s perception. Hence, avoid sites that are located in inconvenient places.

E.g., If you are aspiring to start a trauma clinic or an orthopaedic centre, be sure to avoid higher floors of a building with no lift facility.

3. Mistake 3

Selection of site with poor public amenities

Budget can be the biggest restraint in site selection. This will be especially true in metro cities and in posh areas where the prices of real estate may be high. This may make you consider establishing your hospital in the fringes or the outer limits of the city. However, remember that getting public amenities like water, electricity, gas connection, parking facilities may be tough in the outskirts. Do not commit this grave mistake.

In a hospital, there is a tremendous demand for water. It is a utility that is essential to fulfil of plethora of needs from drinking, to cooking, cleaning, sterilization, working of machines, cooling …the list is endless. If the site that you have selected for your hospital is not connected by water pipes, you will have never-ending problems like providing for water storage, tanker water arrangement, digging bore-wells. Instead, choose a location that is connected with water pipes.

Hospitals have life support systems and other medical equipment which need a continuous supply of electricity. In some places, there is limited supply of electricity plus load shedding and power cuts. Be sure to avoid selecting such sites.

Parking has become an essential necessity in today’s times. Be sure to avoid a site that cannot offer your patients the convenience of parking facilities.

Nowadays, mobile network reach and Wi-Fi connectivity has also become essential. Choose a location that can offer all these amenities without any hitch.

4. Mistake 4

No facilities for waste disposal

Hospitals are biggest sources of biomedical wastes which are highly toxic and hazardous. They have to be safely disposed according to the specifications of regulatory bodies in ways that do not cause harm to human lives and the environment. Do not make the mistake of choosing a site with poor waste disposal facilities or no place to construct a sewage treatment plant.

 5. Mistake 5

Site selection without any   scope for changes or growth

Healthcare is a changing and evolving landscape. Things are transitioning and transforming in this segment every second. Do not do the mistake of investing in a site which will not be able to accommodate these changes and acclimatize to these shifts. E.g., The unprecedented covid-19 pandemic necessitated isolation wards and segregated examination rooms and waiting rooms which would ensure social distancing. Hospitals which had the space and the layout planning to take these measures were able to operate without a hitch.

Another thing to factor in is your own potential growth. After a couple of years, you might want to add some rooms, some floors, or some wings to your hospital. The site that you select should be able to cater to these evolving needs.

  To summarize, as in any business, location has a massive impact on brand image and success. Budget, space constraints and other factors may limit your choices of location. However, be sure to avoid these common hospital site selection mistakes in order to achieve assured success and growth. If you feel overwhelmed by this daunting task, be sure to consult a Healthcare Consultancy firm. These firms have experts from diverse fields who can help you sift through your options and zero in on the best location for your dream project. If you need expert guidance in this endeavour, contact Hospertz, a leading Hospital consultancy firm of India.

Blog has been written by Dr. Vishal Jadhav, a veteran in the field of hospital consultancy with a rich experience of more than 20 years and founder of the Healthcare Consultancy Firm, Hospertz.

Dr. Vishal Jadhav, Director
hospertz@gmail.com
+91 9867712705/ 9820833149