Each year, Modern Healthcare’s Construction and Design survey asks representatives from architecture, construction management, general contracting and development firms about the state of the healthcare construction industry over the past year and what they foresee for the sector.
Here are five key takeaways from the survey.
Related: Health systems ‘taking a breath’ on major construction projects
1. Fewer firms said the healthcare construction sector is growing.
Nearly 90% of respondents to last year's survey said the healthcare construction industry was growing as pandemic-related delays subsided. A smaller share this year said the sector is expanding, amid rising supply costs and an uncertain economy.
2. But more said the healthcare sector is stronger than the construction industry as a whole.
Roughly a third of respondents suggested healthcare construction was on par with the broader industry. As Tracy Hunt, senior vice president of operations at Skanska, a project development and construction group, said, "I don’t see healthcare construction stopping, because one thing about healthcare is that it is always needed."
3. Clients are requesting unique design or construction considerations due to climate change concerns.
More respondents this year said their healthcare clients, especially in regions prone to hurricanes or floods, have climate issues in mind.
4. Firms more than doubled their numbers of completed stand-alone emergency departments and urgent care clinics.
| Stand-alone emergency departments | Urgent care clinics |
| +253% | +169% |
Respondents said they completed 53 stand-alone emergency department construction, renovation or expansion projects last year, compared with 15 in 2021. They listed 105 completed urgent care clinic projects in 2022, compared with 39 the year prior.
5. Behavioral health offers major construction opportunities in 2023.
Respondents also cited renovations and retrofits, oncology service expansions, long-term care expansions and outpatient services such as ambulatory centers as holding promise for construction firms this year.
See the full results of Modern Healthcare's Construction and Design survey.
