Healthcare Design - October 2020 - 17

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T H R E E WAY S T O I M P R O V E R O I O N
O U T PAT I E N T P R O J E C T S
IN 2019, more than 21 million square feet of outpatient care facilities were
built across the United States. While outpatient care is a more economical
way to treat patients outside of hospitals, there are important factors to
keep in mind before designing and building a facility, especially pertaining
to budget. Here are three insights that will help offer the best value and
return on investment (ROI) for an outpatient project.

E S TA B L I S H I N G A B U D G E T

In the early stages of a project, construction managers should
discuss potential variables and unexpected challenges with
clients to help solidify the budget as part of Target Value
Design, a step where the owner, designers, and construction managers determine scope, budget, and cost allocation for building elements.
Understanding an owner's budget allows early collaboration with the
design team and will help drive design and deliver the best building and
value within that budget. Most construction costs for outpatient facilities follow a 30/30/40 rule: 30 percent on the core/shell; 30 percent on
ﬁt-out; and 40 percent on mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and ﬁre protection systems. This can help guide the design team and owner on how
much of the budget can be spent on a speciﬁc area.

LEVERAGING BUYING POWER

Standardizing building systems and finishes over a multifacility rollout will result in cost savings and long-term
ease of maintenance. Having consistent design and building features, such as HVAC systems, elevators, etc., for every structure
also streamlines the project delivery. Prefabrication should also be
considered, as cost certainty and speed are typically driving factors in a
project-particularly ones that features repetitive elements like exam
rooms. Additionally, purchasing materials in greater quantities creates
inherent cost savings, streamlines the project, and makes the project
more predictable.

C H O O S I N G A S I T E S T R AT E G I C A L L Y

When deciding which type of project to undertake, it's important to keep in mind below-grade conditions and condition
of the envelope, which can affect the end costs. For example,
below-grade conditions can pose potentially significant earthwork requirements, ranging from hazardous soil abatement to ledge removal to
the introduction of new infrastructure. Additionally, patient conﬁdentiality and experience are crucial in the healthcare setting, making sound
transmission a major design concern in a space. Mitigating sound can be
accomplished through structural elements and building systems, such
as demountable partitions, ducted returns, sound masking, and deck-todeck construction.
There are tangible and effective ways to build a quality outpatient care
site while also keeping construction costs low. Strategies should start with
early collaboration to increase the likelihood of success. From there, leveraging buying power by standardizing building elements and strategically
choosing a site will ensure the best value for owners.-Brian Hamilton,
project executive and director of healthcare and life sciences at Consigli
Construction Co. Inc. (Milford, Mass.) a

OCTOBER 2020

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Healthcare Design - October 2020

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