This book is probably the first to analyze and respond to infrastructural challenges and outline necessary rather inevitable changes in hospital planning. It aims to improve the understanding of planning and designing of hospitals among the healthcare professionals, architects, and engineers as well as people in relevant professions. This book provides guidance on effective designing of hospital services, natural ventilation, and zoning concept of various services to reduce the transmission risks.

The book consists of various chapters focusing on planning and designing of clinical and non-clinical areas of hospitals such as isolation wards/rooms, emergency department, screening room, laboratory, etc. In the compilation of the handbook, I have referred to relevant published literature, best planning and designing practices, and based on the available information at this time.

This book is focused on effective planning and designing of health care facility to control the spread of airborne/droplet infection. Guidance is given on space planning, designing, patient inflow and outflow including practical and functional planning as per the standards and usability of clinical and non clinical services. Flow diagrams, schematics, layouts and drawings are provided for easy understanding for the readers.
Guidance is also given on designing of hospitals with natural ventilation as use of mechanical ventilation [heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)] may not be feasible due to financial constraint in developing countries. The book deals with how to design the wards with natural ventilation, how to setup the screening room (Flu clinic) and outpatient department along with seating arrangements of doctor and patient inside the room to get a minimum exposure.
The chapters have also emphasized upon designing of operation theatre, emergency services, Intensive care units, laboratory services including sample collection rooms, radiology service and engineering services etc for the airborne and droplet infection hospitals
Guidance is also provided for the existing hospitals that how to create an isolation rooms and wards for the airborne/droplet infection in existing running hospitals.
Ideas are also shared regarding designing the hospitals during the epidemic or pandemic situation; how to create the prefabricated hospitals within short time. Use of Information technology is also stressed upon in terms of effective use of telemedicine in healthcare facility or during the epidemic or pandemic scenario.