3 Tips for Budgeting for a Healthcare Build AV System
When you’re budgeting for AV systems in healthcare, there are any number of factors that can go awry. The process is equal parts art and science, spanning design, technology, people and functionality. Budgeting properly for all these aspects requires a keen attention to detail, along with years of experience. Since we specialize in AV systems for healthcare, we’ve cracked the code on AV budget essentials.
1. Bring in an AV design expert during initial planning.
Sometimes, admins believe that healthcare budgeting and financial management should be handled internally. They first work to figure out a budget, and wait to bring in an AV design expert until after it’s set. But this won’t set you up for success. Even if you’ve been part of the implementation of AV systems before, every single instance is different. It’s impossible for someone in healthcare administration to understand all the nuances and considerations that come with each project.
We recommend bringing in your AV design expert during the very earliest stages of planning. We’ll be able to tell you how the size and shape of a room can make a difference in the size and type of display or speakers we recommend. We’ll also draw on our experience and help you form a much more realistic budget you’ll be able to adhere to.
2. Clearly define – and communicate – network requirements.
Network requirements are all too often the source of busted budgets and unmet expectations. In most facilities, you’ll be adding an AV system onto the current company network. IT involvement is crucial, along with other factors to incorporate into your budget. Some ways in which the network requirements may impact your budget include:
- Network changes or upgrades
- Coordination of network drops, and/or the addition of new ones
- Staff and/or contractor help to execute these changes
3. Keep in mind all costs, including ancillary ones.
There’s an old (and rather pessimistic) adage that tells us “everything costs more and takes longer than you think it will.” This isn’t always true, of course, but it does hit on a common issue within budgeting for AV systems in healthcare: facilities almost always under-budget. They tend to account for the big costs, but forget to calculate all the costs that are truly involved.
In order to put together a budget that accurately reflects the entire scope of the project, you need to include even the lesser, more ancillary costs. Here are some examples:
- Technology upgrades
- Security enhancements
- Licensing costs and/or subscriptions
- Warranties
- Furniture
- Project design
- System installation
- Post-implementation support
Once you’ve taken into account these important categories, you’ll be well on your way to creating a budget that works. Need help with your next AV system? We’d love to come in and be your partner through your next healthcare build process. Just give us a call.