The Power of Optionality: Designing Healthcare Spaces for Startup Agility
In all the healthcare startups I’ve advised, there is a common theme: the business plan, the care model, the team, and the patient base evolve as their whiteboard care models translate into delivering care.
Trying to predict exact future needs is impossible. So, how do you design and build a physical clinic today that gives you critical optionality tomorrow, without breaking the bank upfront?
Making these smart, high-impact decisions that bake in flexibility is critical. But knowing which optionality strategies are right for your unique care model and growth path? That's where strategic partnership comes in. Here's how to think about optionality across your project timeline:
Leasing Phase: Building Flexibility into Your Agreement
Negotiating these terms requires foresight and a deep understanding of applying LOI and lease negotiation best practices to support future business needs:
Strategic Lease Terms: Your lease is a powerful tool for optionality. Can you negotiate a Right of First Refusal (ROFR) on adjacent space for future expansion? Or, conversely, an early termination option if the market shifts or your growth trajectory changes (for better or worse)? These clauses provide crucial flexibility without upfront capital outlay.
Construction Phase: Investing for Future Use
These seem like small choices, but getting them right upfront takes strategic planning and experienced oversight:
"Future-Proofing" Infrastructure: This is where you get the most bang for your buck. Running extra conduit for future data/power, or strategically adding water and sewer lines behind a wall during initial construction, costs very little upfront. Later, adding an exam room or implementing a new service line that needs plumbing is much less painful, saving massive disruption and expense.
Phased Build-Out & Demountable Walls: You don't have to build out every single square foot on day one. Design the full potential layout, but only build out what's essential for your initial launch. Use demountable wall systems where practical; they allow for relatively quick, clean reconfigurations without messy demolition, adapting your space as patient volume grow or service lines change.
Creating "Flex" Rooms: Consider constructing some rooms without assigning a specific, fixed use immediately. These adaptable spaces can be filled in later based on actual needs, preventing you from building out a dedicated exam room that later becomes an unused office, or vice-versa.
Procurement Phase: Smart Choices for Agility
Smart procurement for optionality isn't just about buying; it's about making strategic choices that align with your long-term flexibility goals.
Multi-Purpose Furniture & Equipment: Invest in pieces that can serve different functions or be easily reconfigured. An exam room that doubles as an office for providers or as a virtual care room? Chairs that can be stacked for group sessions? These small choices enhance versatility as your needs shift.
Scalable Technology & Access Control: Think about access control systems that can easily adapt as your team grows, roles change, or security needs evolve. Ensure your IT infrastructure (cabling, server space) can scale up to support new tech, virtual care expansions, or additional devices without major overhauls.
Avoid Over-Procurement for Unassigned Spaces: Don't buy furniture or specialized equipment for rooms you don't plan to use in the first 1-2 years. If you find yourself needing to fill those rooms quickly for an obvious purpose, that's usually a good problem to have – it means you're growing faster than expected! Buying upfront and then having to dispose of unneeded or mismatched items later is wasted capital.
The goal isn't just to save money now; it's to design every component with an eye toward its potential future use, ensuring you have the agility to evolve without major structural headaches or prohibitive costs. For a startup, navigating these optionality decisions is a strategic imperative that de-risks your physical footprint, supports your care model's evolution, and allows you to adapt faster than the competition.
This is precisely the kind of strategic discussion I genuinely love having with healthcare founders – building agility into their physical footprint to support their mission and ensure lasting impact.
What's one strategic choice you've made (or wish you had made!) to build optionality into your organization's physical space? Share in the comments!