HYBRID BUILDING TYPE
The UCSF Mt. Zion Outpatient Cancer Center is an example of the new building type designed for outpatient services, the ambulatory care facility. These buildings are something of a hybrid between traditional hospitals and traditional doctors’ offices. As mentioned previously, the increasing popularity of these facilities is partially a result of the move to a more business-oriented healthcare system. These facilities are less expensive to build than traditional hospitals, because the life-safety and other code requirements are less stringent. These facilities also save money for the healthcare providers because there is more frequent patient turnover, so a greater number of patients can be treated.
There is another important function served by these new buildings: they can serve as powerful marketing tools, both for patients and for doctors (and in UCSF’s case, faculty). Healthcare has become a competitive industry, and new facilities can attract new business. The design of the UCSF Mt. Zion Outpatient Cancer Center illustrates these trends in ambulatory healthcare.