Healthcare Planning Experience Centre

Healthcare Planning from strategy to operation

Great healthcare facilities are planned long before they are built. As an integrated Engineering, Healthcare and Industrial Solutions company, BC Group Africa plans hospitals and health facilities as complete systems, aligning clinical services, space, equipment, engineering, technology and operations around a single vision. This centre helps you understand the planning your project needs, and how we deliver it end to end.

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Planning Navigator

What are you planning?

You do not need to know the terminology. Choose what you are building and we will point you to the planning services that matter most, and where to start.

A New Hospital

Ground-up development of a new hospital or health facility.

Recommended planning services

Strategic Healthcare Planning
Healthcare Master Planning
Feasibility Studies
Clinical Workflow Planning
Medical Equipment Planning

Where to start: Start with strategy and a feasibility study to confirm scope, size and viability.

Discuss this project

One Integrated Partner

End-to-end planning, under one roof

Most projects lose value in the gaps between disciplines, where strategy, design, engineering, equipment and operations are planned in isolation. BC Group Africa connects every planning discipline into one accountable process, from the first strategic question to long-term operational performance.

Strategy & Feasibility

Vision, demand, feasibility and the investment case that justify and shape the project.

Design & Space

Master planning, facility layout, space programming and clinical workflow.

Technology & Engineering

Equipment, infrastructure, digital health and sustainability planned as one system.

Delivery & Operations

Readiness, commissioning, modernisation and lifecycle support that sustain performance.

The Planning Journey

From concept to continuous improvement

Planning is a progression. Select any stage to see what it involves and why it matters. Each stage carries decisions forward so nothing is lost.

Vision & Strategy

We work with leadership to turn policy, need and ambition into a clear, prioritised brief that every later decision can be tested against.

Our Methodology

The BC Group Africa Planning Method

Our integrated engineering philosophy, applied to planning. A consistent way of working that takes projects from concept to sustained operation.

Listen

We start from your vision, service need and constraints, never a template.

Evidence

We test demand, feasibility and options with data before recommending direction.

Integrate

We plan clinical, equipment, engineering and digital requirements as one system.

Master Plan

We hold every discipline to a single long-term framework and brief.

Deliver

We carry the plan through procurement, construction and commissioning without losing intent.

Optimise

We stay engaged for readiness, lifecycle performance and continuous improvement.

Planning Library

Every planning discipline, explained

Filter by lifecycle phase, then open any discipline for its purpose, applications, deliverables, typical clients, related services and the recommended next step.

Showing 20 of 20 planning disciplines

Purpose: Defines the service vision, model of care and strategic priorities an investment must deliver, translating policy and demand into a clear brief.
Typical applications: New service lines, hospital repositioning, network strategy and pre-investment decision-making.
Key deliverables: Service vision and model-of-care definition
Strategic options appraisal
Clinical services strategy
Prioritised implementation agenda
Typical clients: Ministries of health, hospital boards, investors and development partners.
Related planning services: Healthcare Master PlanningCapacity & Demand PlanningFeasibility Studies
Recommended next step: Commission a feasibility study to test the preferred strategic option.

Purpose: Establishes the long-term physical and service development framework for a facility or network, aligning services, land use, phasing and investment over a 10 to 20 year horizon.
Typical applications: New hospital developments, campus expansions, health-network reorganisation and multi-phase capital programmes.
Key deliverables: Long-term development framework and phasing strategy
Service and departmental distribution plan
Site and land-use master plan
Capital investment roadmap
Typical clients: Government ministries, teaching hospitals, healthcare developers and large private groups.
Related planning services: Facility PlanningCapacity & Demand PlanningHospital Development Planning
Recommended next step: Move into facility planning and space programming for the priority phases.

Purpose: Quantifies current and projected demand for services and translates it into the beds, rooms, equipment and staffing a facility must provide.
Typical applications: Bed modelling, service sizing, catchment analysis and expansion decisions.
Key deliverables: Demand and activity projections
Capacity and bed-need modelling
Service-sizing recommendations
Utilisation and efficiency analysis
Typical clients: Ministries, hospital boards, planners and investors.
Related planning services: Healthcare Master PlanningFacility PlanningInvestment & Business Case Advisory
Recommended next step: Feed the sizing into master planning and the business case.

Purpose: Assesses the current state of a facility against clinical need, standards and best practice to identify gaps and prioritise investment.
Typical applications: Estate reviews, accreditation preparation and pre-investment due diligence.
Key deliverables: Condition and compliance assessment
Gap analysis against standards
Prioritised improvement plan
Investment recommendations
Typical clients: Ministries, hospitals, investors and development partners.
Related planning services: Expansion & Modernisation PlanningFeasibility StudiesInvestment & Business Case Advisory
Recommended next step: Prioritise findings into a modernisation or investment plan.

Purpose: Tests whether a proposed healthcare project is viable technically, clinically, financially and operationally before major commitments are made.
Typical applications: New facilities, service lines, public-private partnerships and investment decisions.
Key deliverables: Feasibility and options analysis
Technical and site assessment
Financial and risk analysis
Go or no-go recommendation
Typical clients: Investors, ministries, developers and development partners.
Related planning services: Investment & Business Case AdvisoryCapacity & Demand PlanningHealthcare Master Planning
Recommended next step: Develop the business case and, if approved, begin master planning.

Purpose: Develops the financial and strategic case for a healthcare investment, defining cost, funding, value and return for decision-makers.
Typical applications: Capital approvals, financing, partnership structuring and board decisions.
Key deliverables: Business case and financial model
Capital and lifecycle cost plan
Funding and procurement strategy
Value and risk assessment
Typical clients: Investors, ministries, boards and development partners.
Related planning services: Feasibility StudiesCapacity & Demand PlanningHealthcare Master Planning
Recommended next step: Secure approval and mobilise master and implementation planning.

Purpose: Converts strategy into a coordinated development plan for a specific project, integrating clinical, architectural, engineering and equipment requirements.
Typical applications: Greenfield hospitals, major redevelopments and turnkey healthcare facilities.
Key deliverables: Integrated development brief
Design and engineering coordination plan
Phasing and construction strategy
Project execution roadmap
Typical clients: Healthcare developers, ministries, private hospital groups and partnership sponsors.
Related planning services: Facility PlanningMedical Equipment PlanningCommissioning & Transition Planning
Recommended next step: Progress detailed clinical, equipment and engineering planning.

Purpose: Determines how clinical and support functions are arranged across a building or site to achieve efficient, compliant and future-ready facilities.
Typical applications: Hospital blocks, diagnostic centres, primary care facilities and specialist units.
Key deliverables: Functional layout plans
Departmental zoning and stacking diagrams
Circulation and access strategy
Compliance and standards review
Typical clients: Hospitals, developers, ministries and institutions.
Related planning services: Space Programming & Departmental PlanningClinical Workflow PlanningInfrastructure & Utility Planning
Recommended next step: Develop the schedule of accommodation through space programming.

Purpose: Defines the schedule of accommodation, room by room, so every clinical and support function has the correct rooms, sizes and technical requirements.
Typical applications: Detailed design briefs, room data sheets and departmental fit-out.
Key deliverables: Schedule of accommodation
Room data sheets and area calculations
Departmental briefs
Technical and environmental requirements
Typical clients: Design teams, hospitals, developers and ministries.
Related planning services: Facility PlanningClinical Workflow PlanningMedical Equipment Planning
Recommended next step: Issue the brief to design, equipment and engineering teams.

Purpose: Designs the patient, staff, sample and material flows within and between departments so the facility supports safe, efficient and dignified care.
Typical applications: Emergency departments, theatres, laboratories, outpatient clinics and inpatient wards.
Key deliverables: Patient and staff flow diagrams
Departmental adjacency and relationship matrices
Process and workflow maps
Functional design recommendations
Typical clients: Hospitals, specialist centres and clinical departments.
Related planning services: Space Programming & Departmental PlanningFacility PlanningMedical Equipment Planning
Recommended next step: Translate flows into space programming and equipment requirements.

Purpose: Plans the selection, specification, budgeting and integration of medical equipment across every department so clinical, spatial and engineering requirements are met.
Typical applications: New facilities, equipment replacement programmes and departmental upgrades.
Key deliverables: Room-by-room equipment schedules
Technical specifications and budgets
Utility and space interface requirements
Procurement and installation plan
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, developers and investors.
Related planning services: Healthcare Technology PlanningInfrastructure & Utility PlanningSpace Programming & Departmental Planning
Recommended next step: Coordinate equipment schedules with infrastructure and procurement.

Purpose: Plans the engineering systems that keep a facility running, including power, water, medical gas, HVAC, drainage and communications, to healthcare standards.
Typical applications: New builds, resilience upgrades and utility capacity expansion.
Key deliverables: Utility demand and load assessments
Engineering systems strategy
Redundancy and resilience plan
Interface and phasing requirements
Typical clients: Hospitals, developers, ministries and facility operators.
Related planning services: Medical Equipment PlanningSustainability & Resilience PlanningHealthcare Technology Planning
Recommended next step: Integrate utility loads into design and commissioning planning.

Purpose: Coordinates the medical, information and building technologies a facility needs so they are selected, integrated and future-proofed as one connected system.
Typical applications: Integrated theatres, imaging, monitoring and clinical systems across a facility.
Key deliverables: Technology strategy and standards
Integration and interoperability plan
Technology budget and roadmap
Lifecycle and upgrade strategy
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, developers and investors.
Related planning services: Medical Equipment PlanningDigital Health & Smart Hospital PlanningInfrastructure & Utility Planning
Recommended next step: Align technology with equipment, digital health and infrastructure plans.

Purpose: Plans the information systems and smart infrastructure, including HIS, EMR, PACS, connectivity and clinical dashboards, that make a hospital data-driven and connected.
Typical applications: New digital hospitals, smart wards, telemedicine and health-information programmes.
Key deliverables: Digital health strategy and architecture
Systems and integration plan
Connectivity and cybersecurity requirements
Adoption and change roadmap
Typical clients: Ministries, hospitals, developers and technology sponsors.
Related planning services: Healthcare Technology PlanningInfrastructure & Utility PlanningOperational Readiness Planning
Recommended next step: Confirm infrastructure readiness and plan adoption and training.

Purpose: Embeds infection-prevention principles into facility design and operations, from isolation and ventilation to flows, materials and reprocessing.
Typical applications: Isolation units, theatres, laboratories, sterile services and high-risk departments.
Key deliverables: Infection-control design requirements
Isolation and ventilation strategy
Flow and separation plans
Reprocessing and decontamination requirements
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, specialist centres and laboratories.
Related planning services: Facility PlanningClinical Workflow PlanningOperational Readiness Planning
Recommended next step: Embed requirements into facility, workflow and commissioning plans.

Purpose: Plans energy, water, climate and continuity measures so facilities are efficient, resilient and able to operate through disruption.
Typical applications: Energy-efficient hospitals, renewable integration, climate resilience and business continuity.
Key deliverables: Sustainability and energy strategy
Renewable and efficiency plan
Resilience and continuity plan
Environmental compliance requirements
Typical clients: Ministries, developers, hospitals and development partners.
Related planning services: Infrastructure & Utility PlanningHealthcare Technology PlanningLifecycle Planning
Recommended next step: Integrate measures into engineering and lifecycle planning.

Purpose: Prepares people, processes, systems and equipment so a new or upgraded facility can open safely, efficiently and on schedule.
Typical applications: Hospital openings, department relocations and service go-lives.
Key deliverables: Activation and readiness plan
Staffing, training and process readiness
Equipment and systems readiness checks
Go-live and contingency plan
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, developers and operators.
Related planning services: Commissioning & Transition PlanningDigital Health & Smart Hospital PlanningLifecycle Planning
Recommended next step: Move into commissioning and transition planning for go-live.

Purpose: Plans the structured testing, validation, handover and migration that move a facility from construction to full clinical operation.
Typical applications: Equipment commissioning, systems validation and patient or service migration.
Key deliverables: Commissioning and validation plans
Handover and documentation strategy
Migration and transition plan
Training and acceptance schedule
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, developers and operators.
Related planning services: Operational Readiness PlanningMedical Equipment PlanningLifecycle Planning
Recommended next step: Complete handover and begin lifecycle planning.

Purpose: Plans the growth, refurbishment and upgrading of existing facilities while keeping services running safely throughout.
Typical applications: Additional capacity, service upgrades, refurbishment and re-equipment programmes.
Key deliverables: Expansion and modernisation strategy
Decant and phasing plan
Upgrade and re-equipment schedule
Continuity-of-service plan
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, developers and operators.
Related planning services: Facility Assessment & Gap AnalysisCapacity & Demand PlanningFacility Planning
Recommended next step: Sequence works with a decant and continuity-of-service plan.

Purpose: Plans the whole-of-life management of assets and facilities so performance, cost and value are sustained long after opening.
Typical applications: Maintenance strategy, asset replacement, upgrade cycles and long-term operations.
Key deliverables: Asset register and lifecycle model
Maintenance and replacement strategy
Whole-life cost plan
Performance and optimisation framework
Typical clients: Hospitals, ministries, operators and investors.
Related planning services: Commissioning & Transition PlanningHealthcare Technology PlanningSustainability & Resilience Planning
Recommended next step: Establish maintenance, asset and optimisation programmes.

Planning by Project Type

The right planning sequence for your project

Every kind of project follows a different planning sequence. Select yours to see the recommended order of work.

1Vision & Strategy
2Feasibility Study
3Master Planning
4Clinical Planning
5Equipment Planning
6Engineering & Infrastructure
7Implementation
8Commissioning
9Operational Readiness

Planning by Industry

Beyond healthcare, across industry

The same integrated planning discipline applies wherever complex facilities are built. BC Group Africa plans across the sectors we serve.

Healthcare

Hospitals, clinics, diagnostic and specialist centres, planned around the model of care.

Laboratory

Clinical, pathology, public-health and research laboratories planned for safety and throughput.

Pharmaceutical

GMP manufacturing, cleanrooms and pharmacy infrastructure planned to regulatory standards.

Manufacturing

Industrial and process facilities planned for productivity, safety and reliable utilities.

Education

Campuses, teaching facilities and skills laboratories planned for learning and growth.

Research

Research institutes and simulation facilities planned for discovery and collaboration.

Industrial Facilities

Warehousing, utilities and support facilities planned for resilience and scale.

Public Infrastructure

Institutional and public facilities planned for service, resilience and long-term value.

Planning Deliverables

What you receive

Planning produces decision-ready documents you can act on, fund and build from.

Healthcare Master Plans

Functional Briefs

Clinical Workflow Studies

Room Data Sheets

Medical Equipment Schedules

Capacity Reports

Space Programmes

Utility Assessments

Capital Investment Reports

Business Case Documents

Risk Assessments

Implementation Roadmaps

Planning Tools

Early-stage planning tools

Indicative guidance to frame an early conversation. These are starting points, not a substitute for a full feasibility study.

Facility Size & Capacity Estimator

Enter an indicative bed count to see typical early-stage planning ranges.

Planned beds

9,600 to 13,200Indicative gross floor area (m²)

10Indicative critical-care beds

4Indicative operating theatres

Indicative planning ratios only. Actual figures depend on the model of care, case mix, site and standards, and are confirmed through capacity planning and a feasibility study.

Department Planning Assistant

Which departments and support areas your facility needs.

Talk to a specialist

Equipment Planning Guide

How equipment shapes space, utilities and budget.

Talk to a specialist

Infrastructure Requirement Guide

The engineering systems a compliant facility requires.

Talk to a specialist

Planning by Audience

Guidance for every kind of client

Different organisations need different planning support. These are the disciplines we most often begin with for each type of client.