Delivery of healthcare facility management services: A literature review

Abstract

The delivery of healthcare services around the world has changed significantly over the past 25 years. Governments have realized that in order to achieve social and economic success in their countries, their health services should be improved, and these services should be sustainable. The World Health Organization (WHO) presents various approaches for people to access quality and adequate healthcare. Within this approach, the importance of hospitals in creating healthy societies is increasing. Healthcare facilities differ from any other facilities. These facilities, with their own characteristics, produce and offer complex and interdisciplinary services. Each country has its own unique and different approaches for its healthcare system, which are related to the level of development and to the cultural structure. Although there are different approaches to healthcare facility management (HFM) in various countries, it has been concluded that an HFM application model can emerge in all circumstances with a good understanding of the main components of HFM that this study describes. Today, the scope and service range of HFM in modern hospitals has expanded considerably, and the execution of these services depends on a wide variety of components, such as unique features, standards, codes, technological developments, planning of services, and operational management. In this study, the current components of HFM are explained by conducting a literature review of published studies on HFM. The main characterizing components of HFM are described in detail, and current trends are discussed within this framework.