This book is a compilation of work by experts from the different domains of the healthcare industry, ranging from hospital planning to quality management, clinical services to disaster management. Healthcare organizations, being diverse, sensitive, and intricate, warrant thorough and flawless planning. The structure should be operationally efficient and safe for its occupants and visitors. It starts with a brief introduction of the healthcare sector at different levels. It also attempts to justify how the changing healthcare landscape paved the way for establishing a contemporary and ever-evolving specialty of Hospital planning and designing, which is dynamic and frequently requires continuous improvements and updates.
Clinical and non-clinical departments have been separately classified in this book, and their respective standards and guidelines have been incorporated while describing the planning concepts. Critical hospital areas, such as the ICU and CCU, have been detailed precisely as the operational requirements and level of sophistication required. A chapter on security aspects and disaster management has also been thoroughly envisioned based on the current scenario at the global level. Issues and management of Hospital-Acquired Infections are explained in different chapters based on their relevance and application in that particular area.
