How to Plan Your Hospital Layout to Meet NABH Facility Requirements

Designing a hospital layout is not just an architectural decision – it’s a patient safety and quality-of-care decision. If your goal is to achieve NABH accreditation for hospital, planning your infrastructure early makes the entire process smoother, faster, and more cost-efficient.

NABH focuses heavily on patient safety, staff safety, and the delivery of high-quality healthcare services. A well-planned hospital layout helps you demonstrate compliance during audits and ensures your team can deliver care efficiently every day.

This guide explains how to design a hospital layout that meets NABH facility requirements, zone planning, department setup, fire safety, infection control, waste management, utility systems, and more.

Understand the Core NABH Facility Standards

Before finalizing your hospital layout, it’s important to know what NABH expects. The facility-related standards revolve around three major areas:

A. Safety of Patients & Staff

NABH auditors closely examine whether the hospital’s built environment is safe for everyone.

Key layout considerations include:

• Clear pathways for emergency evacuation
• Functional fire safety systems
• Adequate infection control provisions
• Proper and secure storage of hazardous materials
• Defined routes for patient, staff, supply, and waste movement

Good safety planning reduces the risk of accidents, infections, and operational bottlenecks.

B. Accessibility

Every patient – including children, elderly individuals, and people with disabilities – must be able to access services easily.

NABH requires:

• Accessible entry and exit points
• Ramps/lifts for smooth movement
• Legible signage throughout the facility
• Adequate lighting & ventilation
• Barrier-free washrooms and patient pathways

A hospital must feel intuitive, comfortable, and safe from the moment a patient enters.

C. Functionality

A functional layout supports smooth workflow and efficient patient care.

The layout must ensure:

• Well-zoned and interconnected departments
• Smooth patient flow without cross-contamination
• Segregation of clean and dirty areas
• Minimal movement between unrelated departments

Functionality is crucial, especially in high-risk areas like OTs, ICUs, and emergency units.

Design the Physical Layout According to NABH Zoning

NABH mandates clear zoning within the hospital to maintain infection control, workflow clarity, and operational safety. The layout should separate areas based on sterility and function.

A. Sterile Zone

These areas must be infection-free:

• Operating theatres
• CSSD (Central Sterile Supply Department)
• Sterile storage rooms

Proper airflow, HEPA filters, and controlled access are essential here.

B. Semi-Sterile Zone

These areas must maintain controlled cleanliness:

• ICUs
• Procedure rooms
• Recovery bays

C. Clean Zone

Low-risk areas with regular patient interactions:

• Wards
• Consultation rooms
• Waiting areas

D. Dirty Zone

Areas handling contaminated or used materials:

• Utility rooms
• Soiled linen rooms
• Biomedical waste rooms

Plan Key Hospital Departments as per NABH Standards

Each department in the hospital must be designed to meet NABH’s functional requirements.

OPD (Outpatient Department)

The OPD design should ensure comfort and accessibility:

• Large, ventilated waiting area
• Accessible restrooms nearby
• Dedicated consultation & examination rooms
• Space for registration and billing
• Proximity to a pharmacy, if possible

IPD (Inpatient Department / Wards)

NABH emphasizes patient comfort and infection control:

• Bed spacing: Minimum 1.2–1.5 m between beds
• Clear visibility from the nurse station
• Dedicated handwashing stations
• Separate male/female rooms if possible
• Airflow management

Operation Theatre (OT Complex)

OT design is crucial for NABH compliance.

Requirements include:

• Defined sterile corridor
• HEPA filters for major OT
• Laminar airflow systems, where applicable
• Scrub stations outside OT
• Storage for sterile consumables
• Crash cart placement

A well-planned OT helps reduce postoperative infections and enhances surgical outcomes.

ICU Design

An ICU must be equipped for critical care safety:

• Adequate bed spacing
• Oxygen & medical gas pipelines
• Isolation room for infectious cases
• Nurse station with full visibility
• UPS backup

Emergency Department

NABH auditors check emergency readiness:

• Triage area
• Resuscitation bay
• Direct access from the main gate
• Ambulance drop-off
• Well-marked pathways for quick movement

Laboratory

NABH requires strict biosafety protocols:

• Sample receiving area
• Clean workflow separation
• Proper ventilation
• Biosafety cabinets were required

Pharmacy

Regulations require:

• Temperature-controlled storage
• Segregated area for narcotics as per the law
• FIFO/FEFO system implementation

Radiology

Ensure compliance with AERB and NABH standards:

• Radiation shielding for X-ray, CT, and MRI
• Controlled access area
• Proper signage for radiation zones
• Lead-lined walls and safety gear

Fire Safety & Emergency Preparedness

Fire safety is a mandatory NABH requirement. Here, the layout must comply with national fire safety standards.

Important inclusions:

• Smoke detectors in all areas
• Fire alarms and audible alerts
• Fire extinguishers & hydrants
• Clearly marked escape routes
• Emergency lights in corridors
• Regular, documented fire drills
• Fire exit doors with panic bars

Effective fire planning reduces response time during emergencies.

Biomedical Waste (BMW) & General Waste Management

NABH auditors check how the hospital handles waste from the point of generation to disposal.

The layout must include:

• Separate the biomedical waste room
• Colour-coded waste segregation system
• Puncture-proof bins for sharps
• Authorized BMW disposal tie-up
• Documentation of daily waste logs

Segregation at source is non-negotiable.

Water, Oxygen & Utility Systems

NABH checks whether essential utilities are reliable and safe.

Water Supply

• Safe drinking water points
• Regular water quality testing reports
• Separation between drinking & handwashing supplies

Medical Gas Pipeline System (MGPS)

• MGPS as per standard norms
• Cylinder storage room with cages
• Colour-coded oxygen, nitrous oxide, compressed air pipelines
• Alarm systems for low pressure

Electricity

• Dedicated generator backup
• UPS support for critical areas
• Tagged electrical panels
• ELP (Earth Leakage Protector) devices

Uninterrupted utilities help prevent treatment disruption.

Infection Prevention & Control (IPC) Planning

NABH places strong emphasis on infection control. The layout should support:

• Hand hygiene stations everywhere
• Separate housekeeping rooms for each floor
• Special workflow for linen & laundry (clean vs dirty)
• Proper AHU (Air Handling Unit) monitoring
• Isolation rooms in critical areas
• Smooth movement for patients, staff, supplies, and waste

Good IPC design is essential for reducing HAIs (Hospital-Acquired Infections).

How Candour Solutions Helps Hospitals Build NABH-Compliant Layouts

Planning a hospital layout that aligns with NABH standards involves technical, architectural, and operational understanding. This is where Candour Solutions, leading NABH consultants in Kochi, plays a vital role.

We help hospitals:

• Design layouts that match NABH structural requirements
• Prepare zoning plans and workflow maps
• Implement fire safety, IPC, and BMW systems
• Set up documentation and audit-ready systems
• Avoid costly redesigns by planning right from the start

If you are designing a new healthcare facility or upgrading your existing one for NABH accreditation, Candour Solutions can guide you end-to-end.

Conclusion

Planning your hospital layout with NABH compliance in mind is one of the most effective ways to build a safe, efficient, and patient-centric healthcare facility. Early planning ensures smoother accreditation, reduces the need for costly renovations later, and helps you create infrastructure that supports high-quality clinical outcomes.

From zoning and infection control to fire safety and utility management, every aspect of your hospital’s physical design contributes to meeting NABH standards and strengthening patient trust and satisfaction.

For any NABH-related guidance, layout planning, or accreditation support, Candour Solutions – your trusted NABH consultants in Kochi – are here to help you build a compliant, streamlined, and audit-ready healthcare facility.