Healthcare Facility Construction Checklist: Designing for Code Compliance

From dentists offices to rehab facilities to hospitals, today’s healthcare buildings are often some of the most regulated commercial spaces when it comes to design and construction. While there is some code overlap with other types of commercial buildings, healthcare facilities must often meet additional regulations or consider unique requirements like infection control. Here are some considerations to assure your facility new build or remodel remains code-compliant:

Choose a Construction Partner with Healthcare Experience

Finding a construction partner early – and finding one that understands the unique demands of the healthcare industry – can help you plan for compliance before a single sketch is made. It also assures every member of your building team understands the important parameters you need to follow.

The design-build approach to construction is one method that helps healthcare management teams get the most out of a new build. The approach provides critical pre-planning and collaboration between architects, project managers, contractors and building owners. This helps keep the project’s goals, growth plan and compliance for regulatory parameters top-of-mind so costly changes and time extensions can be avoided.

An experienced design-build partner can also help you maintain critical documentation, including permits, inspection reports and any certifications you need.

Define Your Facility’s Scope and Occupancy Classification

Will your facility host in-patient stays? Perform outpatient surgeries? Only see patients for general medical care? All medical facilities fall within specific occupancy classifications, and these drive the requirements needed for fire and life safety infrastructure. The primary classifications, as defined by the NFPA 101® Life Safety Code®, are:

Your construction partner can help you determine which classification your building will fall under.

Confirm Which Codes Will Apply 

Depending on your building’s location and usage, it will need to follow many standardized codes, including:

While these codes and regulations are a starting point for compliance, many of them require a deeper dive and interpretation. For example, ADA requirements set minimum standards – but will your facility require more accessible entrances, patient rooms or restrooms? Should additional handicap parking or pathways be added?

Fire codes may also require additional considerations. For example, in a rehab facility patients might need assistance during a fire evacuation. Planning for additional egress areas or fire suppression can help protect vulnerable patients.

Consider Infection Control Measures

Easy-to-wipe finishes, handwashing stations and air filtration systems can help control germ spread in healthcare settings. Your design-build team can work with you to suggest materials that will support the cleaning protocols you anticipate using in your facility.

Repairs or remodels on a building should follow Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) protocols to prevent the spread of dust or germs during construction. ASHE.org offers a toolkit, including an ICRA matrix, to ensure that patients, staff, workers and visitors are properly protected from infectious diseases while work is being done.

Coordinate Backup Mechanical, Electrical and Plumbing (MEP) Systems

 MEP systems can be critical to care continuity. Emergency power, medical gas systems, water quality/pressure and overall building ventilation require a more coordinated and planned approach in healthcare settings compared to other construction projects. Some systems require redundancy or immediate backup; others may need more intensive infrastructure. For example, is water pressure a concern for a dentist’s office? Plumbing contractors – especially those with experience in healthcare design or maintenance – can provide insights early on that will prevent challenges down the road.

Plan for Modern Healthcare Technology

Healthcare facilities are changing rapidly with the use of new technologies. This includes not only advanced equipment for patient diagnostics but also the data infrastructure used for documentation and medical record storage. Gone are the days of taking notes during a patient visit; now doctors rely on AI recordings to capture data. Consider the infrastructure needed to support the tools you’ll be using today as well as the ones yet to come. A future-ready infrastructure can help reduce or eliminate renovation costs later.