Capacity Planning
Sizing beds, operation theatres, diagnostics and support areas from demand and utilisation.
Capacity planning translates a hospital's service mix and projected demand into concrete sizes: beds per clinical service, operation theatres, ICU, outpatient rooms, diagnostic units and support areas. We size each block from demand volumes, length of stay, occupancy and utilisation targets, and phase capacity additions so the building matches growth rather than overshooting it.
What this service covers
- Bed capacity by clinical service derived from demand, length of stay and occupancy targets
- Operation theatre count and mix based on expected procedure volumes and turnaround time
- ICU and NICU sizing from critical care demand and occupancy assumptions
- Outpatient capacity covering consultation rooms, slots and peak clinic load
- Diagnostic capacity across imaging and laboratory volumes
- Emergency capacity sized for arrival rates and surge conditions
- Day care, observation and short-stay capacity where the service mix requires it
- Waiting, support and circulation area implications of the proposed capacity
- Phased capacity additions aligned to demand ramp-up and future expansion
- Sensitivity of the capacity plan to occupancy, volume and length-of-stay assumptions
Our process
- Capture the agreed service mix and projected patient volumes
- Set benchmarking parameters for occupancy, utilisation and turnaround
- Size each capacity block against the demand inputs
- Run sensitivity tests on the key planning assumptions
- Document the phased capacity plan and its assumptions
- Integrate the plan with department and infrastructure planning
Frequently asked questions
What inputs do you need for capacity planning?
The agreed service mix, projected patient volumes, expected length of stay and target occupancy, and the phasing timeline for commissioning capacity.
How do you decide bed numbers per specialty?
Bed numbers are derived from projected admissions or patient days per specialty, divided by target occupancy, and stress-tested against peak and seasonal demand.
How is diagnostic capacity calculated?
Diagnostic capacity is based on expected procedure and test volumes, machine throughput and utilisation assumptions for imaging and laboratory equipment.
What is the difference between capacity planning and bed strength planning?
Bed strength planning focuses on the number of beds per specialty. Capacity planning covers the full sizing picture - beds, theatres, ICU, outpatient, diagnostics and support areas together.
When should capacity planning be done?
After the service mix is agreed and before department and space planning, so every downstream design decision starts from a sized capacity.