There are items in a healthcare facility that require heightened structural considerations, according to a blog by Krista McDonald Biason, associate vice president, on the HGA website.
"Due to a greater implementation of the lean process, MRI's, bi-planes and other imaging equipment is often located on an upper level of a facility instead of at grade. This requires additional attention to the structure to assure that any vibrations from the equipment, building systems, and even people walking in adjacent corridors do not affect the imaging equipment. Vibration can easily interfere with the imaging process and reduce the quality of the scans, cause phantom images, and reduce the level of service," Biason wrote.
Healthcare facilities also require a higher "importance factor" for wind, snow and seismic loading, she said. The importance factor is actually what it sounds like — it means that the design of the building is required to be more robust than a standard office building. Implementing the importance factor can increase the seismic forces by as much as 50 percent, and depending on the location of the facility that could have a significant impact.
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