Healthcare Facilities Management Market: Key Compliance Areas

Healthcare Facilities Management Market - Inkwood Research

The increasing demand for healthcare facilities and services today is governed by elevated standards of life, rising life expectancy, and a growing population. Also, the surging urbanization has raised the need for more complex hospital buildings. Such spaces offer diverse healthcare services, which has emphasized the need for facility management in the healthcare sector. As per Inkwood Research, the global healthcare facilities management market is predicted to record a CAGR of 11.80% during the forecast period, 2022-2030.

Hospital facilities management (HFM) encompasses a vast range of activities like repairs & maintenance within the facility, timely closure of non-clinical requests, equipment maintenance, ensuring high hygiene & cleanliness levels, etc. However, it majorly focuses on overseeing budgets, facilities, safety, and personnel.

Healthcare Facilities Management: Key Compliance Areas

Healthcare facilities need careful planning since they deal with physically vulnerable populations. This includes emergency preparedness, fire safety, HVAC systems, infection control, quality of life, construction & development, and security.

Accordingly, healthcare facilities management help ensure compliance in the aforementioned areas. Some of them are explained below:

  1. Emergency Preparedness

Healthcare facilities must be proactive with regard to emergencies since significant crucial work is carried out on a daily basis. HFM facilitates planned maintenance programs to help take steps and ensure issues are identified before they escalate. For instance, a machine breakdown or power outage, which can impact patient care critically.

Accordingly, a planned maintenance program will secure potential problems, minimizing them from the start through routine testing and checking of equipment like:

 

  1. Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems

Healthcare facilities’ air quality is more relevant than shopping centers and commercial spaces since they are centers of recovery and healing. Therefore, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) are vital to the comfort & well-being of patients and staff alike. Besides, some care facilities have specific legal requirements, guidance, and design implications concerning the operation and maintenance of HVAC systems.

A well-functioning HVAC will ensure:

  • Proper ventilation, which influences and impacts productivity
  • Precise use of positive and negative pressure in ventilation, which is vital for infection control
  • Standard air quality, which is central to patient well-being and room temperature

Similarly, healthcare facilities management can regulate the health risks associated with poor air quality with proper air conditioning maintenance and repair.

  1. Infection Control

Healthcare facilities are vulnerable to high infection risks. Therefore, high-quality infection control procedures must be in place.

In this regard, healthcare facilities management can regulate infection spread by:

  • Ensuring proper pressurization/ventilation in important areas. For instance, negative pressure in isolation rooms to prevent the spread of infection
  • Maintaining a water management system dealing with bacteria growth
  1. Fire Safety

Fire safety is a crucial element in healthcare facility settings since it directly impacts the security and protection of both staff and patients. According to a Facilities Maintenance Decisions article, over 100,000 fires occur in non-residential buildings annually, incurring billions of dollars in damages. Such incidents can further result in shutdowns in extreme cases.

Therefore, a planned maintenance program that makes inspections straightforward will ensure the facility’s compliance with fire safety.

Our analysis of the global healthcare facilities management market by service type includes insights into cleaning services, waste management, security services, etc.

Technology Trends to evolve Healthcare Facilities Management

Recent events like the COVID-19 pandemic harbored a substantial shift in the management of healthcare organizations. It highlighted the need for technology and tools to revamp management strategies. This is attributed to the operational shifts and additions of new software and technologies in healthcare facilities and hospitals.

Accordingly, there have been new developments with technology making inroads in healthcare facilities management. In this regard, mobile devices and visitor management systems usage is set to project traction alongside more interactive touchscreens that oversee several functions. These include attendance recording, emergency mustering, and health screenings.

Furthermore, digital health models are expected to mature with more technologies supplementing care beyond the hospital’s four walls, such as remote or digital support. This will make procedures more efficient and repeatable. Besides, consumerism is set to impact the industry. Healthcare organizations are investing in digitizing their infrastructure, with patients increasingly demanding personalized, affordable, and accessible care.

Whereas developments regarding a ubiquitous health record and continual integration of clinical systems and supply chains are projected. This is expected to cut costs, enhance the patient experience, and improve outcomes. Such technology trends are estimated to influence the global healthcare facilities management market growth opportunities.

By Akhil Nair

FAQs:

Which are the leading players in the global healthcare facilities management market?

Aramark, ISS World Services A/S, and Ecolab Inc are among the leading players in the market.

Which is the prominent end-user in the global healthcare facilities management market?

Hospitals and Clinics are the prominent end-users in the global healthcare facilities management market.