Conference rooms and classrooms are typically sized based on the average number of people to be seated and the type of furniture and the seating arrangement. The use of ancillary chairs along the side walls ― for people who are not sitting at the table ― will result in a reduced net square feet (NSF) per seat for conference rooms. The outfitting of conference rooms and classrooms with sophisticated audio-visual equipment may also require additional space beyond that needed for seating alone. Also, additional space is required if food service and dining are to be provided ― including counter space for a buffet service and carts and bins for the collection of reprocessable materials and trash. Conference rooms with a central table and mobile, upholstered chairs require more space per seat than a classroom-style arrangement with stackable chairs aligned around a central lectern. Egress issues and the availability of convenient toilet facilities need to be considered when large groups are assembled.
Facility Components
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Ultrasound Can Be Carried to Any Clinical Area
Ultrasound is a non-invasive procedure that used sound waves and a computer to create images of soft tissue structures such as muscles, blood vessels, and organs. It is used to diagnose a number of conditions that may not be adequately assessed with other imaging methods such as X-ray, CT, or MRI. GE Healthcare’s new compact Vivid™ ultrasound unit combines advanced imaging power in a rugged, portable, easily-cleanable, and light-weight (less than 10 pounds) unit that can be carried anywhere in the hospital or to an office-based physician practice. It is also capable of 2D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) and intracardiac echo (ICE).
Source: GE Healthcare website [Retrieved online at www3.gehealthcare.com]
Pharmacists Embrace Expanding Medical Role
After years of adding everything from beauty products to snack foods, pharmacies have a new revenue source. Pharmacists are being asked ― and paid by insurance companies ― to monitor their customer’s health. That could include counseling them on chronic diseases, making sure they are taking their medications, and screening for everything from diabetes to high cholesterol. Although pharmacists have been doing more than dispensing pills over the past decade, this is the first time many have been able to offer such a wide range of medical services. This is due to changes in the way that pharmacists are educated along with legislative changes that have cleared the way for an expanded role.
The Death of the Hospital Autopsy
Autopsies ― sometimes called the ultimate medical audit ― were an integral part of American healthcare a half-century ago and were performed on roughly half of all patients who died in hospitals. Up until 1971, the Joint Commission required that community hospitals perform autopsies on 20 percent of inpatient deaths, increasing to 25 percent for teaching facilities, as part of earning accreditation. Although hospitals are still required to develop criteria for autopsies, and should “attempt to secure autopsies in all case of unusual death” and in cases of “medical, legal, educational interest,” it is rare today when a hospital has an autopsy rate of more than 5% for nonforensic deaths according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some pathology experts say it is usually only about 1%.
CT Scanner in 54 Square Feet? A New Option for Specialty Physicians
Imagine a computed tomography (CT) scanner that can be installed in a room as small as six by nine feet, weighs 450 pounds, and plugs into a standard electrical outlet. Well, for eye, ear, nose, and throat physicians it is possible to provide point-of-care CT imaging in a clinic or an operating room. The Xoran Technology’s MiniCAT™ is specially designed for head and neck imaging allowing physicians to diagnose and treat their patients faster and more conveniently. It creates high-resolution, ultra-thin CT slices (0.3 mm for temporal bones), making it ideal for scanning the sinuses, skull base, and temporal bones. The availability of a limited footprint, in-office, upright CT scanner enables point-of-care imaging without the problems associated with scheduling CT scans at the hospital’s central imaging department. A scan takes only 40 seconds to get an immediate, digitally versatile CT image on a Windows PC monitor.
The actual dimensions of the unit are 46” x 49” x 72” tall. Although it can be installed in a room as small as 6’ x 9’, a room that is 80 to 100 net square feet is recommended, or the equivalent of the size of a standard exam room. The MiniCAT scanner emits very low radiation so that it requires little or no shielding to comply with State regulations. The manufacturer can install it in a single day since its small footprint fits through a standard door frame and it weighs only 450 pounds. The MiniCAT is compatible with most image-guided surgery systems and can also be used for surgical planning and post-operative evaluations and care.
Case Study: Planning a Prototype Health Center
Northern Health Authority delivers healthcare to the residents of 20 different communities that are a mix of settlements, towns, and villages. With many of the existing remote health centers in need of replacement, Northern Health decided to develop a prototype community health center that could be replicated to serve communities of less than 1,500 people — some of which are accessible only by air.