Ambulatory facilities present particular planning challenges, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management. The variety of patients and care options pose special challenges for medical equipment planning.
On top of this, ambulatory care centers usually have smaller treatment rooms, less space and a tighter equipment budget than acute care facilities.
A project team must develop creative solutions that overcome these challenges. The equipment that the planner recommends must provide flexibility, maximize staff efficiency and efficient use of space, and enable clinicians to ensure good patient outcomes, according to the article.
The equipment planner and project team's processes must be aligned. Without equipment planning data, it may be impossible to meet deadlines and the project schedule could suffer.