Drivers to achieve future-proofed hospital built assets.

Background and aim –The healthcare sector is a major contributor to carbon emissions. It is also affected by climate change-induced disruptions. Further, the context in which hospitals operate is changing as healthcare delivery evolves to meet changing patient expectations and technological advancements. Bringing these drivers for change together poses major challenges for hospital managers, and not least for facilities managers responsible for a hospital built assets. This paper begins to explore these challenges in the context of a ‘future-proofed approach’ for the maintenance and upgrade of the healthcare estate. Methods / Methodology – This paper presents the result of a scoping review undertaken to identify the drivers with the potential to influence the future healthcare estate, and in turn its maintenance and refurbishment strategy. Results – When developing strategies to create a future-proofed hospital built asset, facilities managers working within the healthcare sector have an important role to play and need to understand the implication drivers, such as changing healthcare delivery, changing users’ expectations, SMART technologies, sustainability, and resilience to extreme events, will have on the journeys that the healthcare sector will need to take to achieve its transition without compromising healthcare delivery. Originality (if applicable) – The paper introduces the first step towards a future-proofed approach to built asset management of hospitals where drivers for change provide the criteria against which transition pathways will be evaluated. Practical or social implications – The paper discusses the strategic and operational challenges facilities managers will need to address to future-proof the hospital estate.