Why Healthcare Construction Demands a Specialized Partner

Healthcare construction is among the most complex and high-stakes undertakings in the building industry. These projects are unlike any other, requiring a delicate balance between strict regulatory compliance, operational continuity, and the health and safety of vulnerable patient populations. From intensive care units to outpatient clinics, every healthcare construction project must be executed with precision and foresight.

For healthcare developers, facility managers, hospital systems, real estate investors, and design partners, selecting the right construction partner is crucial. You need more than just a builder — you need a collaborator who understands the stakes and has a proven track record in healthcare commercial construction.

As one of the most experienced healthcare construction companies in Colorado and Wyoming, Saunders has delivered cutting-edge medical facilities across the region for over 50 years. Our deep expertise enables us to navigate the complexities of healthcare construction, ensuring spaces that meet today’s clinical demands while remaining adaptable for tomorrow.

What is Healthcare Construction? Why Are the Stakes Different?

Healthcare construction isn’t a monolith. It encompasses a wide range of facilities — from general medical offices to high-acuity hospitals and mental health centers. Each project type introduces its own planning, operational, and construction challenges.

• Medical Offices and Clinics typically house primary care physicians, specialists, and support staff. They require efficient layouts for smooth patient flow, exam rooms that ensure privacy, and diagnostic and treatment spaces that comply with health codes.
• Specialty Centers like ambulatory surgical centers and imaging suites require deep coordinated efforts for reinforced structures, enhanced electrical loads, and MEP systems that are fully coordinated and tailored to sensitive medical equipment.
• Acute Care and Hospital Facilities demand integration of mission-critical systems such as life safety, infection control, nurse call systems, telemetry, and backup power to ensure 24/7 care continuity.
• Coordination with Medical Equipment is one of the most stringent items to keep in mind during construction. Without being able to successfully connect the Owner’s equipment, the project is obsolete. We work with the end in mind and work backwards.

These spaces are more than buildings — they are extensions of clinical operations and directly impact outcomes, experience, and staff efficiency. Designing and building them requires close alignment between architects, engineers, clinicians, and construction teams.

Saunders has successfully delivered dozens of healthcare construction projects that reflect this multifaceted complexity. Our recent work on the AdventHealth Littleton Heart and Vascular Tower included specialized infrastructure to support advanced cardiac care while maintaining adjacent operations. The Aurora Mental Health Acute Care Center required careful planning to create a therapeutic and secure stepped-down environment for behavioral health/substance abuse services.

Challenges Facing Healthcare Construction

1. Regulations and Compliance Standards

Healthcare projects must comply with a broad set of codes and standards, including:

• Joint Commission
• National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
• Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• Facility Guidelines Institute (FGI)
• Local building and public health codes

Non-compliance can derail a project, resulting in delays, costly rework, failed inspections, or worse, compromising patient safety. It’s not enough to meet code; healthcare facilities must pass rigorous inspections by multiple authorities.

At Saunders, we embed regulatory compliance into every phase — from preconstruction to punch list. We engage early with regulatory agencies, conduct constructability reviews against code requirements, and collaborate with medical equipment planners and facility operators to ensure approvals flow smoothly.

2. Construction Without Disruption

A defining challenge of healthcare construction is executing projects within or adjacent to operational medical environments. Shutting down isn’t an option — patients need care, and critical systems must remain online.

To manage this, Saunders implements:

• Phased construction plans that isolate work zones and maintain clinical functions through our Methods of
• Procedure (MOP) planning.
• Off-hours and weekend shifts to minimize disruption.
• Noise and vibration monitoring to avoid interfering with sensitive equipment or patient comfort.
• Daily communication with hospital administrators and clinical staff.

During the Cheyenne Regional Medical Center Master Facility Plan implementation, Saunders worked hand-in-hand with administrators to relocate departments temporarily, while ensuring continued care and system performance. Our ability to maintain seamless operations is a hallmark of our healthcare construction approach.

3. Infection Control and Patient Safety

Infection prevention is a cornerstone of safe healthcare delivery, and construction introduces risk. Activities such as demolition, material movement, or even routine maintenance can release dust, contaminants, and aerosols.

To mitigate this, Saunders enforces stringent Infection Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) protocols:

• Negative air pressure containment zones prevent airborne particles from escaping.
• HEPA filtration systems purify circulated air.
• Isolated access points and corridors limit the construction team’s contact with patients or staff.
• Moisture management protocols reduce microbial growth from water intrusion or humidity.

These practices are not optional — they are essential. Throughout all our projects, despite the proximity to active care areas, we deliver the space safely and on schedule, with zero disruption to patient services.

The Opportunity: Integrating Technology, Innovation, and Long-Term Flexibility

Healthcare is evolving rapidly. Medical technology, patient expectations, and care models are all changing, so healthcare construction must anticipate the future, not just meet the needs of today.

Saunders brings an innovation-forward approach to healthcare construction by considering and utilizing the following approaches:

• Designing for modularity: We incorporate prefabricated MEP racks and adaptable interior layouts to accommodate evolving clinical workflows.
• Enabling smart systems: We embed technology that supports remote monitoring, diagnostics, and facility management.
• Planning for retrofits: We create infrastructure pathways that enable future upgrades without major disruption.

More than anything, we’re getting these conversations going early. Our goal is to future-proof through adaptable infrastructure, but even more importantly, through collaborative preconstruction. If everyone can get on the same page about our approach and the various components that must be taken into consideration, the project itself will go much more smoothly.

Additionally, we support our clients’ sustainability goals by integrating green building practices, including:

• LEED and WELL certification strategies
• Energy-efficient HVAC and lighting systems
• Use of low-VOC and sustainable materials
• On-site waste diversion and recycling plans

Conclusion: Choose a Partner Who Builds with Purpose

Healthcare construction demands a specialized mindset. It’s not just about budgets and schedules — it’s about safety, trust, and building environments that support healing, resilience, and adaptability.

Saunders has spent decades refining our approach to medical construction. From code compliance and infection control to future-ready technology integration, we bring unmatched expertise to every healthcare project.

For any healthcare client planning their next healthcare construction project in Colorado or architects seeking a seasoned partner for hospital construction planning and phases, look to Saunders. Our collaborative model, clinical insight, and proven outcomes make us the partner of choice for healthcare developers, operators, and design teams.

See our healthcare portfolio.

Explore our construction expertise.