Hospital space utilization: how data-driven design can improve patient & staff efficiency

Hospitals and healthcare facilities face unique challenges when it comes to space planning. Patient needs fluctuate, staffing levels vary, and different areas of a hospital require vastly different layouts. At the same time, underutilized spaces lead to inefficiencies, higher costs, and missed opportunities to improve care.

Recent data suggests that healthcare space is not always used effectively.

“Space utilization in hospitals has decreased by 28% post-pandemic, largely due to increased telemedicine adoption and shifts in patient care models.”

• CBRE Global Occupancy Insights 2023

This decline creates an opportunity for hospitals to rethink how they allocate space. By using short-term occupancy studies, facilities can identify underused areas, reconfigure layouts, and ensure space is being used efficiently for both staff and patients.

Understanding where space is underutilized

Repurposing underused patient areas

Not all hospital rooms are occupied at the same rate. Some departments see constant turnover, while others have rooms that sit empty for long periods. The shift toward telemedicine has also reduced the number of in-person consultations, leaving some outpatient areas underutilized.

To address this, hospitals should:

• Convert underused rooms into flexible treatment spaces that can accommodate different types of care.
• Adjust waiting areas based on real occupancy patterns rather than defaulting to large, underfilled spaces.
• Reevaluate inpatient vs. outpatient space allocation to ensure patient flow is optimized.

📌 Example: A mid-sized hospital conducted a two-week occupancy study and found that an entire wing of exam rooms was only being used at 30% capacity, while urgent care spaces were frequently overbooked. They reallocated rooms, improving efficiency without needing to expand the facility.

Improving staff workspaces

Staff efficiency is directly linked to how well-designed their workspaces are. Many hospitals have dedicated offices for administrators, break rooms that go unused, or nurse stations that are too small for team needs.

Short-term space studies can reveal:

• Where staff spend the most time - and whether spaces match workflow demands.
• Which workspaces are underutilized - such as oversized administrative offices or rarely used break areas.
• Where collaboration areas are needed - ensuring doctors, nurses, and specialists have spaces to coordinate care effectively.

📌 Example: A hospital’s emergency department found that nurses were informally gathering in hallways due to a lack of dedicated workspaces. After reviewing a space utilization study, they converted an underused meeting room into a flexible collaboration zone for real-time patient discussions.

Balancing patient care with operational efficiency

Making better use of waiting areas

Many hospital waiting rooms were designed for pre-pandemic patient volumes. However, changes in scheduling, telehealth, and patient flow patterns mean these spaces often go unused or are overcrowded at certain times.

Hospitals can improve waiting areas by:

• Right-sizing seating areas based on actual usage data.
• Creating adaptable spaces that can expand or contract as patient needs change.
• Ensuring proximity to clinical spaces to reduce unnecessary movement within the facility.

“Many waiting rooms are designed for higher capacity than necessary, leading to wasted space that could be repurposed for more valuable uses.”

• CBRE Global Occupancy Insights 2023

📌 Example: A specialty clinic found that its main waiting room was consistently half-empty, while a nearby check-in area had standing-room-only congestion. A short-term occupancy study revealed opportunities to redistribute seating and improve patient flow.

Challenges and considerations

Cost vs. flexibility

Redesigning hospital spaces requires investment, but not all changes need to be expensive. Simple adjustments - like reassigning underutilized rooms or rearranging workstations - can have a significant impact without major renovation costs.

Adapting to changing healthcare trends

Hospital space needs are constantly evolving. Utilization studies should be conducted periodically to ensure layouts continue to match patient and staff needs over time.

Q&A: practical insights for hospital planners

Q: How can hospitals ensure space changes don’t disrupt patient care?
A: Start with small, data-backed adjustments. Test changes in non-critical areas first, and collect feedback from staff before scaling updates across the facility.

Q: What is the best way to measure whether a redesign is working?
A: Use before-and-after occupancy studies to compare utilization rates. If targeted areas see an increase in use while improving efficiency, the change is successful.

Q: How often should hospitals conduct space utilization studies?
A: Ideally, every 6-12 months, depending on facility size and changes in patient flow. If new healthcare programs or operational shifts occur, studies should be done sooner.

Why occupancy data is essential for hospital efficiency

Healthcare facilities must balance patient care, staff needs, and operational efficiency - but without data, it’s difficult to know where space is being used effectively and where it’s being wasted.

This is where Vantage Space provides value. Unlike sensor-based tracking, Vantage Space offers quick, human-led occupancy studies that provide both quantitative data (space utilization) and qualitative insights (how spaces are used by staff and patients).

By conducting short-term, visual observation studies, hospitals can:

• Identify underutilized areas that could be repurposed for patient care.
• Ensure staff workspaces support efficiency rather than creating bottlenecks.
• Measure the impact of space changes over time without costly long-term tracking.

Understanding how space is used allows hospitals to make informed decisions that improve both patient experiences and operational performance. And when the healthcare landscape shifts again, another quick study can provide the insights needed to adjust efficiently.

Looking to improve hospital space efficiency? Start an occupancy study with Vantage Space today.