CONSTRUCTION & GRAPHICS

Hospital Building
Introduction:
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and
nursing staff and medical equipment. ... A teaching hospital combines assistance to people with
teaching to medical students and nurses.

Definition:
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment with specialized medical and
nursing staff and medical equipment. ... The medical facility smaller than a hospital is generally
called a clinic. Hospitals have a range of departments (e.g. surgery and urgent care) and
specialist units such as cardiology.

Function:
The basic form of a hospital is, ideally, based on its functions:

 bed-related inpatient functions

 outpatient-related functions
 diagnostic and treatment functions
 administrative functions
 service functions (food, supply)
 research and teaching functions

How do hospitals work?

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Physicians are key to the provision of healthcare and medical treatment at a hospital. Doctors are
the ones who diagnose the patient and perform the procedures or surgeries necessary to heal the
patient. ... Not all physicians work at hospitals, but many do, and some physicians
only work at hospitals, such as hospitalists.

Utilities Hospital Building

1. Health Care:
A health facility is, in general, any location where healthcare is provided. Health
facilities range from small clinics and doctor's offices to urgent care centers and large hospitals
with elaborate emergency rooms and trauma centers.

Types of Health Care Facilities:

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A. Hospital:
A hospital's primary task is to provide short-term care for people with severe health issues
resulting from injury, disease or genetic anomaly. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week,
hospitals bring together physicians in assorted specialties, a highly skilled nursing staff, various
medical technicians, health care administrators and specialized equipment to deliver care to
people with acute and chronic health conditions.

B. Ambulatory Surgical Center:

Some surgeries are too complex to be done safely in a doctor's office but simple enough that
patients generally do not require hospital care after undergoing them. Ambulatory surgical
centers are designed to provide these types of procedures. Also referred to as outpatient or same
day surgery centers, these facilities offer a safe environment for the surgery and basic monitoring
during the initial post-operation hours. Ambulatory surgical centers are often a less expensive
option than a hospital.

C. Doctor’s Office:
A doctor's office is a medical facility where one or more doctors provide treatment to patients.
Doctor's offices are often focused on one type of medicine; the health providers operating there
are either general practitioners or practice a common specialty. Doctor's offices provide routine
care as well as treatment for acute conditions that do not require immediate intervention. While
these facilities are traditionally called a doctor's office, the doctor is rarely the only medical
professional on staff. In many cases, physician assistants and nurses also contribute to the
delivery of patient care.

D. Urgent Care Clinic:

When patients are unable to get to their doctor's office or want basic medical care without an
appointment, an urgent care clinic might be the perfect choice. Sometimes called walk-in clinics,
these facilities offer outpatient care immediately. However, it is important to note that an urgent
care clinic is not the same as a hospital's emergency room. If the issue is something that you
would normally see your doctor for like a stomach virus or a sprained ankle, then an urgent care
clinic is appropriate. If you have a complex health situation or your issue is a true medical
emergency like chest pain, breathing difficulties, broken bones or an extremely high fever, then
you should head to the hospital's emergency room without delay.

E. Nursing Home:
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A nursing home is designed for patients who require constant care but do not need to be
hospitalized and cannot be cared for at home. Often associated with seniors who require
custodial care in a residential facility, it can actually serve patients of all ages who require this
level of care. Nursing homes have medical personal onsite 24 hours a day. A physician, skilled
nurses and therapists are on staff to oversee and provide medical care, assistance with
medications, and services like physical, speech and occupational therapy.

2.Generators:
Emergency Backup Power Generators for Hospitals and Healthcare. Lack of electricity almost
always implies a loss in terms of money, but when it comes to back-up generating sets
for hospitals, electrical power supplies machinery essential to the lives of endangered patients.

3.SUSTAINABILITY
Hospitals are large public buildings that have a significant impact on the environment and
economy of the surrounding community. They are heavy users of energy and water and produce
large amounts of waste. Because hospitals place such demands on community resources they are
natural candidates for sustainable design.

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Section 1.2 of VA's HVAC Design Manual is a good example of health care facility energy
conservation standards that meet Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT) and Executive Order
13693 requirements. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA)provides
additional requirements for energy conservation. Also see USGBC's Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) for Healthcare.

4.Sterilizing Equipment:
As we learned in our post about preventing the spread of infections in hospitals, the autoclave,
also called a steam sterilizer, ensures the sterilization of medical instruments and materials
used every day in surgeries, procedures, and patient services.

5.Electric Beds:
A hospital bed or hospital cot is a bed specially designed for hospitalized patients or others in
need of some form of health care. These beds have special features both for the comfort and
well-being of the patient and for the convenience of health care workers.

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6. X-ray Machines:
Description: X-ray, or radiography, is the oldest and most common form of medical imaging. An X-ray
machine produces a controlled beam of radiation, which is used to create an image of the inside of your
body. ... Sometimes an X-ray exam includes contrast.

7. Pumps:
An external infusion pump is a medical device used to deliver fluids into a patient's body in a controlled
manner. ... Enteral pump - A pump used to deliver liquid nutrients and medications to a patient's
digestive tract.

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8. Computers:
Computers are the excellent means for storage of patient related data. Big
hospitals employ computer systems to maintain patient records. It is often necessary to maintain
detailed records of the medical history of patients. ...Computers can keep track of prescriptions
and billing information.

9. Suction Machines:
Medical Suction Machines. Medical Suction Machine. Medical suction machines are used for
various medical reasons in a hospital setting but the home models are primarily used for
respiratory conditions. Respiratory conditions often result in secretions of mucus or serum that
must be removed from the body.

10. Wheel Chairs:

An athlete in a wheelchair. A wheelchair is a chair with wheels, used when walking is difficult or
impossible due to illness, injury, or disability. Wheelchairs come in a wide variety of formats to meet the
specific needs of their users.

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11. Coolers:
A water dispenser, known as water cooler if used only for cooling, is a machine that refrigeration and
dispenses water with a refrigeration unit. ... They are generally broken up in two categories: point-of use
(POU) water coolers and bottled water coolers.

RELATED ISSUES
The HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 1996) regulations address
security and privacy of "protected health information" (PHI). These regulations put emphasis on
acoustic and visual privacy, and may affect location and layout of workstations that handle
medical records and other patient information, paper and electronic, as well as patient
accommodations."

EMERGING ISSUES
Among the many new developments and trends influencing hospital design are:

 The decreasing numbers of general practitioners along with the increased use of
emergency facilities for primary care
 The increasing introduction of highly sophisticated diagnostic and treatment technology
 Requirements to remain operational during and after disasters—see, for example, VA's
Physical Security Manuals
 State laws requiring earthquake resistance, both in designing new buildings and
retrofitting existing structures
 Preventative care versus sickness care; designing hospitals as all-inclusive "wellness
centres"
 Use of hand-held computers and portable diagnostic equipment to allow more mobile,
decentralized patient care, and a general shift to computerized patient information of all
kinds. This might require computer alcoves and data ports in corridors outside patient
bedrooms. For more information, see WBDG Integrate Technological Tools
 Need to balance increasing attention to building security with openness to patients and
visitors
 Emergence of palliative care as a specialty in many major medical centres
 A growing interest in more holistic, patient-centred treatment and environments such as
promoted by Plane tree. This might include providing mini-medical libraries and
computer terminals so patients can research their conditions and treatments, and locating
kitchens and dining areas on inpatient units so family members can prepare food for
patients and families to eat together.

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