The cost of a modular operating theatre is one of the first questions in any hospital project, and the honest answer is that there is no list price. It depends on what the theatre must contain, where it is and what the quote includes. Knowing the items that make up the cost is the most effective way to build a reliable budget and compare different quotes.
Why is there no standard price?
Two operating theatres of the same area can be very different. A general surgery theatre and a hybrid theatre with radiological equipment have different doors, shielding, integrated fittings and building services. The same project also costs a different amount depending on whether it is built in a new hospital or one that stays open, in Italy or abroad.
A figure given without knowing the project is not a price, but an estimate with a very wide margin of error.
Which items make up the cost of an operating theatre?
The total cost of an operating theatre includes items supplied by different companies.
| Item | Usually supplied by | What makes it vary |
|---|---|---|
| Modular envelope: walls, doors, ceiling | Modular system manufacturer | Size, finishes, door types, integrated fittings |
| Wall-integrated fittings: monitors, cabinets, pass-through boxes, control panel | Modular system manufacturer, with equipment suppliers | Number and type of fittings |
| Ventilation: air handling units and ductwork | Mechanical services contractor | Required cleanliness class, airflow rates |
| Medical gases and electrical services | Services contractors | Number of outlets, panels, redundancy |
| Medical equipment: table, lights, pendants | Specialist suppliers | Surgical speciality and chosen technology |
| Building works and site | Main contractor | Condition of the building, access, containment measures |
| Design and validation | Designers and appointed engineers | Project complexity and required procedures |
The modular envelope is only part of the total cost of an operating theatre: building services and medical equipment often account for a larger share.
What makes the cost of the modular envelope vary?
In the modular system manufacturer's quote, the cost depends mainly on eight factors.
- Size and number of theatres: several identical theatres allow machining and details to be repeated.
- Finishes: type of cladding, colours, any decorative prints.
- Doors: hermetic automatic sliding, hinged, glazed or lead-lined.
- Ceiling: with hermetic lighting and, where specified, an integrated laminar flow unit.
- Integrated fittings: monitors, PACS displays, recessed cabinets, pass-through boxes, control panel.
- X-ray shielding: needed only where the radiation protection expert specifies it.
- Site conditions: hospital in operation, difficult access, phased works.
- Logistics: distance, transport, installation abroad.
Does a modular theatre cost more than a conventional one?
The initial cost of a modular envelope is often higher than that of plasterboard walls. The comparison, however, should cover the whole life of the theatre. A modular system shortens time on site and therefore the days the theatre is out of service, gives access to services without demolition and allows the theatre to be updated by replacing or moving modules. The comparison is explored further in the guide to modular walls or plasterboard in hospitals.
How do you compare two quotes?
Two quotes can only be compared when they cover the same scope. Before looking at the total, check five points.
- Items included and excluded: doors, ceiling, integrated fittings, shielding, installation, transport.
- Level of detail: a quote that describes every element is easier to check than one giving only a total.
- Testing and installation: who carries them out and who is accountable.
- Support: spare parts and service after handover.
- Timing: how long the works last and how many days the theatre is out of service.
How do you prepare a reliable budget?
A reliable budget is built early, before the detailed design, starting from the planned surgical activity, the number of theatres, the required fittings and the site conditions. It is then refined step by step as the design defines the details.
ADAM S.r.l. builds the budget with its four-phase method — consulting, budgeting, design and building ventures — described on the Services page. In the budgeting phase ADAM uses cost-planning tools that give the client control of costs at every stage. For operating theatres ADAM has offered the SALUS system since 2006, designed and manufactured at its plant in Bernate Ticino, near Milan, together with medical doors, technical ceilings, integrated fittings and shielding.
For an estimate on a specific project, contact the ADAM team. The guide on choosing a modular operating theatre manufacturer helps when assessing quotes.