The planning and design of healthcare facilities has evolved over the previous decades from "function follows design" to "design follows function." Facilities stressed the functions of healthcare providers but patient experience was not fully considered. The design process has now crucially evolved, and currently, the impression a hospital conveys to its patients and community is the primary concern. The facilities must be welcoming, comfortable, and exude a commitment to patient well-being. Rapid changes and burgeoning technologies are now major considerations in facility design. Without flexibility, hospitals face quicker obsolescence if designs are not forward-thinking. Planning and Designing Healthcare Facilities: A Lean, Innovative, and Evidence-Based Approach explores recent developments in hospital design. Medical facilities have been adapted to the requirements of clinical functions. Recently, the needs of patients and clinical pathways have been recognized. With the patient at the center of the process, the flow of tasks becomes the guiding principle as hospital design must employ evidence-based thinking, and process management methods such as Lean become central. The authors explain new concepts to reduce healthcare delivery cost, but keep quality the primary consideration. Concepts such as sustainability (i.e., Green Hospitals) and the use of new tools and technologies, such as information and communication technology (ICT), Lean, and evidence-based planning and innovations are fully explained.

As developed economies enter a period of slower growth, emerging economies such as India have become prime examples of how more can be achieved with less. Bringing together experience and expertise from across the healthcare industry, this book examines innovations that can bring about real advances in the healthcare industry. Innovations in Healthcare Management: Cost-Effective and Sustainable Solutions explores recent innovations in healthcare from a global and Indian perspective. Emphasizing the importance of Lean healthcare and innovation, it presents low-cost, high-volume solutions that improve access to care. Providing concrete examples of the five levels of innovation present in healthcare, the book presents new concepts, methods, and tools for advancing processes and operational flow. It includes case studies of actual results in healthcare innovation from three continents that highlight emerging global trends in healthcare system innovation. The book describes how to organize resources and flows so that given targets, such as cost, clinical quality, and patient experience, can be achieved with available resources. It also covers nontraditional ecosystems of innovation that move outside of expected technological innovations, such as innovations in social persuasion, rural health delivery, and the planning and design of hospitals. The book maintains a focus on key issues across the healthcare industry-such as access to care, demand creation, patient experiences, and data-to help readers implement new ideas and new models of delivery of affordable care in healthcare systems around the world.