Building while hospitals remain operational
Delivering complex healthcare construction projects safely
New construction, renovation, and refurbishment projects in hospitals and healthcare facilities place exceptionally high demands on planning, coordination, and execution. Clinical services must continue without interruption, sensitive areas must remain protected, and day-to-day operations must be maintained at all times.
Drees & Sommer Switzerland supports healthcare construction projects from the earliest strategic considerations through commissioning. Combining extensive healthcare expertise, well-defined processes, and an interdisciplinary team, we help balance cost, schedule, quality, and operational continuity throughout every project phase.
Building without disrupting hospital operations
Construction work within an existing hospital can rarely be separated from ongoing operations. Patients must continue to receive uninterrupted care, while healthcare professionals require safe and fully functional work environments. At the same time, hygiene requirements, fire protection, emergency routes, medical technology, building systems, and logistics all need to be carefully coordinated.
Even relatively small construction activities can create significant interdependencies. Projects involving multiple construction phases, temporary relocations, swing spaces, or departmental moves are particularly complex.
Working closely with project stakeholders, we develop solutions that integrate construction requirements with operational needs from the outset. This allows risks to be identified early, project activities to be planned reliably, and disruptions to hospital operations to be kept to a minimum.
What Challenges do hospitals and healthcare facilities face?
Construction projects in occupied healthcare environments require medical, technical, operational, and construction-related requirements to be carefully aligned.
Typical challenges include:
- Maintaining uninterrupted patient care during construction
- Renovating highly occupied healthcare facilities
- Coordinating numerous stakeholders, consultants, and contractors
- Managing complex construction phasing, relocations, and temporary facilities
- Meeting stringent hygiene, safety, and quality requirements
- Protecting sensitive patient care areas
- Minimizing noise, dust, vibration, and other construction impacts
- Safely separating construction activities from patient, staff, and material flows
- Integrating new buildings, systems, and processes into existing facilities
- Managing budget constraints, tight schedules, and limited internal resources
The earlier these interdependencies are addressed, the more reliably the project can be delivered.
Our solutions for healthcare construction projects
We support public and private owners, hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare organizations with modular or fully integrated services.
We represent the owner's interests and establish clear governance, communication, and decision-making structures. We coordinate all project stakeholders, monitor project objectives, and provide full transparency regarding costs, schedules, quality, and risks.
As the integrated design lead, we coordinate all planning disciplines to deliver a fully integrated solution. Interfaces between architecture, building systems, medical technology, operations, and construction are identified and managed from the earliest project stages.
We provide overarching leadership and coordination throughout the project. Clearly defined responsibilities, aligned processes, and structured decision-making create a solid foundation for successful project delivery.
During construction, we manage and supervise project execution. Our services include procurement and tender management, contract awards, cost and schedule control, quality assurance, contractor coordination, inspections, commissioning support, and project handover.
Working together with owners and users, we develop practical construction phasing, relocation, and move strategies. We carefully consider operational dependencies, clinical workflows, technical requirements, and available space to ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery.
Well-planned construction logistics ensure safe access routes and efficient project execution. We coordinate material flows, deliveries, temporary storage areas, site facilities, and the clear separation between construction activities and hospital operations.
Using Lean Construction Management principles, we make planning and construction processes more transparent and predictable. Collaborative planning, structured coordination, reliable scheduling, and continuous workflow optimization reduce interfaces and improve schedule performance.
New or renovated healthcare spaces must not only function technically but also integrate seamlessly into ongoing hospital operations. We structure the commissioning process, coordinate inspections and testing, and support the transition to facility operators and end users.
Your Benefits
- Operational Continuity Comes First: Construction activities are consistently aligned with the requirements of an operating healthcare facility.
- Clear Responsibilities: Clearly defined roles, decision-making processes, and interfaces improve collaboration and accelerate project decisions.
- Transparent Cost and Schedule Control: Structured project controls provide reliable reporting and informed decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
- Reduced Interface Risks: Planning, construction management, logistics, and commissioning are managed through a fully integrated approach, minimizing coordination risks.
- Early Risk Mitigation: Operational, technical, and construction-related risks are identified early and proactively managed throughout the project.
- Greater Support for Owners: Our project teams coordinate complex project activities, allowing owners to focus on strategic decisions.
Working together for successful healthcare projects
Healthcare construction projects require much more than technical excellence. Success depends on the seamless integration of construction, hospital operations, users, and organizational requirements.
Drees & Sommer Switzerland combines healthcare expertise with project management, integrated design, and construction management to create the conditions for safe operations, informed decision-making, and successful project delivery.
Planning a new hospital, renovation, or refurbishment while remaining operational?
