The COVID-19 crisis has had a profound impact on the healthcare industry over the past year, with changes being carried out to become prepared for what lay ahead, as well as to cope with new, regular patient admissions. Hospital staff have experienced immense pressure like never before, which has forced them to rethink their processes and ensure staff are able to cope with what comes their way.
Not only are buildings being redesigned to better cope with the influx of patients, essential supplies and what may lay ahead in the future, but interior spaces are being used more efficiently, enabling staff to carry out their duties more effectively to cope with demand.
Flexibility of space
The pandemic has forced the medical and healthcare sectors to rethink their usual processes. Over the past year, many hospitals found themselves making way for more hospital beds, with the new Nightingale hospitals being set up across the country, equipped with everything needed to care for COVID patients. Having this extra space available when needed is a safety blanket for any further spikes in infections we may experience in future.
Any newly built hospitals will need to keep this in mind in case of any spikes. With this flexibility, medical staff can ensure more patients are given the care they need when the pressures of maintaining hospital care rise.
New storage areas and solutions to cope with demand
As the pandemic continues to affect our daily lives, even though things are much better than they have been over the past year, it’s been inevitable that hospitals and care homes have required further storage space for supplies, including PPE and cleaning and disinfection products. Hospitals will now need to incorporate additional storage areas in designs, whether this be dedicated areas, or clever storage solutions.
Not only have our own solutions here at Hupfer been invaluable at this stage, but the need for adequate storage space will continue to play a part during this pandemic. Browse our website for more information about our storage solutions.
Increased need for hygiene stations
Sanitising stations before the pandemic were crucial points within any hospital ward or care home, but the fast spreading virus required an increased need for hygiene products and stations, which will only be the case for the foreseeable future. These stations usually won’t take up much space as they can be wall mounted for easy access, but these will be a crucial addition to hospital designs now and in the future.
Here at Hupfer, we supply a range of hand hygiene products for the medical sector in order to keep staff and patients safe.
Reactive to future outbreaks
The ability of switching to ‘pandemic mode’ if needs arise has already been discussed, with the sector toying with new ways to ensure hospitals can quickly alter processes if we experience another outbreak in the future. Scaling up intensive care units and creating isolation spaces quickly will also result in a need for more equipment and storage.
Hospital design is already being changed for the better, and we can expect the future to bring hospital staff the help they need to effectively carry out their duties. However, the cost implications of these changes will need to be monitored and explored further if they are to be a success.
Choose Hupfer to keep you prepared for whatever the future may bring
Here at Hupfer, we’ve continued to assist the medical sector throughout the peak of the pandemic and plan to do so continuously. We have a wide range of products suited to the industry to help make life easier and to reduce the pressure medical staff face.
From safe storage and transport solutions to work tables and hygiene products, we can help create more efficient, smooth-flowing processes. Get in touch with us if you have any questions about our products or you need some recommendations.