Avoid Costly Mistakes: The Four Essential Elements Every Healthcare Facility Peer Reviews Need

Technology is advancing exponentially, and the risk of obsolescence is high in long-term design and construction projects, such as hospitals. The technology available from Day 1 of design can differ significantly from Day 2 operations in a completed facility. Hospitals often have long design and construction schedules, with some projects taking up to 10 years to complete in states like California. A lot can change in 10 years. Healthcare facilities went from needing limited telehealth infrastructure in 2014 to becoming a staple in 2024. So, what can help avoid technology obsolescence and ensure your vision is being taken into consideration? Engaging subject matter experts to provide peer review services.

Peer reviews often save organizations money by catching big-picture issues in their projects early in the design process. However, not all peer reviews are created equally. A quality peer review for technology designs needs four important attributes:

1. Subject Matter Expert[s] (SME) doing the review;
2. Timeliness;
3. Comments specific to a client’s standards; and
4. Ensuring all design decisions are vetted.

Technology systems in a hospital are too vital to be vetted by technology generalists. Having an SME perform a peer review means you are getting enhanced quality assurance, ensuring industry best practices are integrated with the development of the design, minimizing errors, and mitigating future risks.

Knowing what to change is important. Having that information at the right time is paramount. A quality peer review should be conducted before the Construction Documents (CD) phase.  Identifying and rectifying potential design flaws early through peer reviews can prevent unnecessary and costly redesigns or system failure. Conducting a peer review during CD can lead to cost impacts taken by the owner and contractor, leading to some not-so-fun conversations.

When seeking advice, most people are likely to solicit answers from the ones they are close to rather than strangers. Likewise, the SME performing your peer review should be well-versed in your design standards and be able to catch design elements that may be acceptable elsewhere but don’t fit the needs and requirements of your facility.

Many design decisions are made during a meeting or design review, but these decisions are not always vetted against current owner standards. A quality peer review ensures that design decisions are double-checked against owner standards before moving to later stages of design and, more critically, construction. Having the peer review process in place ensures owner standards are met and updated accordingly if necessary.

With a thorough peer-reviewed technology design, your facility is better equipped to be aligned with industry best practices and be a more future-proof investment. Investing in a quality peer review instills stakeholder confidence by assuring high quality, resilience, and readiness for future developments. Don’t miss the opportunity to bolster your facility’s longevity and consult a technology SME early in your design process who knows and understands your needs and partners with you to ensure your project is successful.

If you’d like to learn more about healthcare peer reviews, contact one of our Healthcare SMEs listed on our website.