Is site planning important in Healthcare?

Is site planning important in Healthcare?

Are you planning to start a Healthcare business? Do you know that the location of your hospital is one of the most crucial factors that can determine its success? 

Five things to remember while deciding on the site of your healthcare venture

1. Purpose

Now, each Healthcare setup has its own purpose…i.e., the set of goals that it aims to fulfil. The site of your Healthcare facility must be in line with this purpose for success in the long run.

E.g., If you plan to start a maternity hospital, your site must be always well-connected and accessible. On the other hand, if you plan to start a cardiac recuperation centre. Your site should preferably be secluded and cut off from noise. 

If your purpose is clear, your site selection will become easy too. 

2. Budget 

The best sites come at a price…remember any investment must make financial sense…the same applies to the location too. In Metro cities the price of real estate is skyrocketing. If you are based in any such place, you might have to settle for a far-off site. 

Delve deep into your finances to determine if your proposed site matches your budget. Do not make impulsive decisions that you will regret in the future. 

3. Size

Will your Health set up be of a single specialty or roof multiple specialties? Will it house a single physician or a panel of specialists? Are you expecting a small number of patients or a thunderous footfall? 

All these questions will determine the size of your proposed healthcare facility. Size of a hospital will be determined by numerous factors like the facilities and services provided, number of beds, proposed workforce number, and plans for future expansion.  

 Size is a predominant deciding factor when it comes to the decision about the site of your Healthcare facility. 

E.g., A diagnostic lab that has various advanced equipment requisites an expansive site whereas a sample collection centre needs only a small site. 

Moreover, your site should be large enough to accommodate growth in the times to come. 

4. Accessibility

A healthcare facility serves a big role in society. Since health problems can strike without warning, it is necessary that the chosen site should be accessible and well-connected by roads and means of public transport. 

Choose a site that is centrally located and is accessible to your target audience. 

5. Public utilities

A healthcare facility necessitates the usage of many public utilities.

Choose your site in such a way that your Healthcare unit will have an uninterrupted power supply because everything from diagnostics to surgery needs electricity. Life support systems and surgical set-ups cannot afford to be without power even for a moment. 

Remember to account for generators, adaptors and electrical sub-stations while choosing the site.

The sufficiency of the water supply is also a key factor in deciding the site. A hospital requires gallons of water for a myriad variety of purposes from drinking to cleaning to maintenance to clinical operation. 

Choose a site that has access to water. 

Biomedical wastes must be disposed of safely and efficiently. When choosing the location of your healthcare unit, be sure to select a site that has provision for this. If your proposed hospital is vast, the site should be able to house its own sewage disposal unit.

Site selection is a tricky matter when it comes to a healthcare facility. Your site’s location will be the determinant to your patient footfall, your profits, your visibility, and your sustainability. So, choose your hospital’s location with care. If needed, take the help of experts like Hospertz Hospital consultancy firm in this endeavour. 

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