Do you remember the last time you walked into a healthcare facility? Do you recall the first thing that you noticed? Was it a calming, clean and well-maintained environment? Were you able to navigate to your provider with ease or was their office hard to find? What impression did it leave about the health provider? About their brand?
Beyond the healthcare real estate fundamentals of location, visibility, accessibility and patient/provider flow, when evaluating site and building designs for new facilities or potential enhancements for our existing projects, I visualize many years ago when my wife would have arrived at the facility for a pediatrics appointment, pushing one of our children in a stroller with one hand while trying to hold hands with one of our other children while navigating from the parking lot to the elevator in the face of oncoming traffic, raised sidewalk curbs and entering through heavy vestibule doors. How could that journey from the parking be the safest, easiest, quickest path? Were the doors on auto-openers? If they were entering in the rain, would they immediately set foot on slick floor tiles, or would there be flooring or mats that help to minimize slippery conditions? After pondering, then I visualize a similar scenario, imagining an older relative in a wheelchair, anxious about the diagnosis they may receive during a visit to their provider. Are they dropped off under cover? Does the building promote a relaxed, soothing atmosphere? Is there good wayfinding with more than one sign or indicator to identify the direction or the name of the provider?
These are just a few examples of the questions that other members of the Anchor team also ask and think through today as we develop, acquire, manage and renovate healthcare facilities.
While a thoughtful development experience and attentive management are beneficial and key components of successful healthcare real estate, investments in preventative maintenance and image refresh/enhancement are also important longer-term elements of top healthcare facilities. Anchor’s managed portfolio now spans approximately 9 million square feet. Over decades and millions of square feet, we have a number of experiences and lessons learned spanning 25+ states from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Across our portfolio, we have managed countless lobby, common area and restroom refreshments; signage, HVAC, roof, elevator and parking lot replacements; “white boxing” of spaces; fresh suite fit-outs, etc. Drawing on our integrated perspective, we know where to focus our attention and available dollars to maximize value and impact ultimately in pursuit of facilitating a better healthcare experience in real estate we own and/or manage.
