Medical Office Building Structural Design Considerations

As the population of the United States both grows and ages, the demand for healthcare facilities has grown steadily. Within the healthcare industry, new construction has been trending towards outpatient facilities, like medical office buildings (MOBs) and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). In this paper, the special structural engineering considerations common to MOB design are discussed. With healthcare buildings, flexibility of future use is an important consideration. MOBs, in particular, are often delivered in two phases. The first phase delivers a core and shell package, and the second addresses tenant improvements (finishes). Strategies for success with this delivery method will be discussed. Additionally, code minimum design loads are often insufficient for heavy imaging equipment. X-rays, CTs, and MRIs can have special requirements for vibration response, structure levelness, and magnetic interference. Final designs require an understanding of the manufacturer’s equipment specifications and specific building criteria. However, those specifications are not always available to the design team during the core and shell design. For that reason, this paper provides appropriate design assumptions and highlights best engineering practices for successful MOB design.