Safety standards demand that hospitals maintain free and unobstructed access to all exits, minimize fire risk and establish a clear line and destination for bed and patient transport, according to an article on the FacilityCare website.
The Joint Commission has cited more than 45 percent of hospitals with “insufficient compliance,” noting specific violations in hospital corridors and the storage therein.
A list of solutions to improving workflow while reducing clutter includes:
• Vertical hospital bed storage — or storage units that stack hospital beds on each other — saves floor and storage space
• Maximize the dead-end corridors. If the dead-end space is less than 50 square feet, equipment can be stored there
Balancing Act: Designing for Safety and Flexibility
Methodist Healthcare Breaks Ground on Methodist ER Medina Valley
Fire Protection in Healthcare: Why Active and Passive Systems Must Work as One
Building Envelope Design: Beyond Energy Efficiency
Outpatient Surge Reshapes Long-Term Strategy for Medical Outpatient Buildings