10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021

AUGUST ISSUE 01

MOST TRUSTED

HEALTHCARE

ARCHITECTURE COMPANIES Kimberly Stanley AIA Healthcare Sector Leader and Senior Principal

Building it Right 5 Reasons Why The Right Healthcare Architecture is Vital

2021

#TechTalks Are IoMT Devices the Future of Personalized Healthcare?

Improving Patient Experience and Outcome through Architecture

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ne cannot deny the positive impact that space, ventilation, and color of construction have on the user's well-being. And when the infrastructure is of a healthcare establishment, the social impact of the built environment becomes paramount for better patient outcomes and smooth functioning of the staff.

Until a few decades back, the architecture of a healthcare facility and patient outcome were not related. But things have dramatically changed, and architects are transforming the way healthcare spaces are designed and constructed.

Gone are the days when bed occupancy was an important deciding factor for a hospital’s success. Obviously, many tried to accommodate as many beds as possible, thus reducing free space, proper ventilation, and light. Clutter makes one feel claustrophobic even under normal health conditions. Hospitals today prefer space over clutter for improved patient outcomes. These are the days when patient experience and patient outcome occupy center stage.

Realizing the role a building can play in the health of its inhabitants and the functioning of the staff, healthcare professionals and architects came together to provide the relevant infrastructure to its users.

Usability of space is critical for the staff to perform tasks safely, effectively, and efficiently. Hospitals need specialized areas for smooth movement of staff, patients, and the general public, for hospital equipment and machinery, for gadgets, operating, and diagnostic equipment.

The design of consulting rooms, operation theatres, ICU, acute care, ambulatory care, diagnostic imaging platforms, research facilities, laboratories, emergency departments, diagnostic rooms, blood banks, medical stores, cabins for medical professionals, staff rooms, general and specialty wards, special rooms, dedicated walking spaces, lobby, staff

changing rooms, accounts, and administrative offices, surgical suites and many other facilities need to incorporate the rules of social design.

Besides, the overall ambiance to make the patient feel better, like ample light and appealing colors, is essential for healthcare architecture. The ambiance of a healthcare facility should be pleasant not only for the patients but also for the medical and non-medical staff of the hospital and the visitors.

A well-thought hospital design also helps mitigate and reduce the transmission of diseases through overall layout, patient and staff flow, and natural cross-ventilation. The COVID-19 pandemic enhanced the need for such wellthought designs and environments for improved patient experience and outcomes.

Some healthcare architects have created benchmarks with their designs that are known to have brought better patient outcomes. In our crusade to focus on healthcare architects, we handpicked a few who stood distinguished from the crowd.

Our latest edition of Insights Care - The 10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021, speaks about the thoughtfulness of architects exclusively designing healthcare spaces. Read to know more about their work and the importance of hospital infrastructure for all its stakeholders.

Have a great read!

Sumita Sarkar

Editor’s Note

EYP

Redening the Possibilities of Healthcare Architecture

08

Articles 22 #TECHTALKS

Are IoMT Devices the Future of Personalized Healthcare?

36 BUILDING IT RIGHT

Five Reasons Why the Right Healthcare Architecture is Vital

Cover Story

Contents CO ARCHITECTS

16

Leveraging Innovation to Create Safe Spaces

CUHACI & PETERSON

26

Enlarging the Integrated Construction Services

DIAMOND SCHMITT ARCHITECTS

32

Sculpting Architectural Masterpieces

DIGROUP ARCHITECHTURE

40 20 Expert Opinion Overcoming the Obstacles Impeding Clinical Trials

Breathing Life into Comprehensive Modern Healthcare Architecture

CxO

Editor-in-Chief Senior Editor

Sumita Sarkar Anish Miller

Managing Editor

Abhishaj Sajeev

Assisting Editors

Trishika, Vinayak

Visualiser Art & Design Head Co-designer Art & Picture Editor Business Development Manager Marketing Manager

David King Priyanka Rajage Paul Belin Rohil Shinganapurkar Amy Jones John Smith Sarah Wilson, John Smith, Alex Vincent

Business Development Executives Sales Executives

Kelli, Bill, Anna

Technical Head Assistant Technical Head Technical Consultants

Jacob Smile Pratiksha Patil David, Robert

Digital Marketing Manager Assistant Digital Marketing Manager SME-SMO Executives

Alina Sege Amol Wadekar Atul, Gemson

Research Analyst Circulation Manager

Eric Smith Tanaji

sales@insightscare.com

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Company Name

Featuring

Description

CO Architects COArchitects.com

Jenna Knudsen Managing Principal

Los Angeles-based CO Architects is nationally recognized for architectural planning, programming and design in the higher education, science & technology, civic and healthcare sectors, and works with leading institutions from coast to coast.

Cuhaci & Peterson C-P.com

Greg Simpson CEO

Cuhaci Peterson is a Central Florida-based design firm offering end-to-end solutions. Licensed in all 50 states, the firm offers architectural, engineering, planning and permitting services nationwide.

Diamond Schmitt Architects dsai.ca

Matt Smith Principal

Diamond Schmitt is a global architecture firm designing transformative, purpose-driven, and highly sustainable buildings from its four studios located in New York, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.

DIGroupArchitecture digrouparchitecture.com

Bob Ryan Principal

DIG is a NJ and Philadelphia-based minority-owned architecture and design firm. DIG is Architecture for Change.

EYP Inc eypae.com

Kimberly Stanley Senior Principal

EYP is an integrated design firm specializing in higher education, government, healthcare, and science & technology.

FCArchitects fcarchitects.com

John B. Campbell President

FCA is a full-service architectural and design firm. Employing a rigorously collaborative process between its clients and employees, the company defines, designs, and creates resonant spaces uniquely suited to the needs of those who use them.

Jacobs jacobs.com

Steve Demetriou CEO

Jacobs delivers impactful global solutions to create a more connected, sustainable world — from intelligence to infrastructure, cybersecurity to space exploration.

Legat Architects legat.com

Patrick Brosnan CEO

Legat Architects works with building owners and communities to overcome facility challenges with design that improves performance and lives.

M+A Architects ma-architects.com

Mark Daniels Principal, President

M+A Architects is driven by a vision of enriching lives through innovative design, working every day to enhance communities, elevate human experiences, and define a sustainable future.

Wendel wendelcompanies.com

Stewart C. Haney President and CEO

Wendel is an innovative architecture, engineering, energy efficiency, and construction management firm that collaborates with private and public entities to holistically approach facility and infrastructure projects.

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Kimberly Stanley AIA Healthcare Sector Leader and Senior Principal EYP

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volution, transformation, progress, metamorphosis – the nature of the healthcare industry has been in dynamic flux. Without a doubt, the discipline of healthcare architecture is on a parallel path, striving to cater to the swiftly changing demands of the healthcare industry and the delivery of patient-centered planning and design.

As a consequence, this edition, titled 10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021, brings into the spotlight those firms that exhibit the expertise in building healthcare infrastructure that can anticipate and withstand the changes ahead.

EYP’s commitment to critical thinking is balanced by an ingrained empathy, which results in improved project outcomes that offer positive experiences for its clients, their staff, and the end users.

Research and evaluation, a participatory process, and applied innovation are the hallmarks of EYP’s work in healthcare design. “These characteristics not only help us deliver a high level of client satisfaction, they also bring a new accountability to design and consulting. At the same time, we are striving to meet the challenges of technology integration, operational and financial performance, safety, and productivity,” says Kimberly Stanley, AIA – Healthcare Sector Leader and Senior Principal at EYP. Business Excellence and Critical Thinking Serving clients from academic medical centers and large health systems to smaller community-based healthcare organizations, the team at EYP believes that healthy, sustainable, and resilient buildings help organizations succeed in the evolving healthcare landscape. EYP has particularly deep healthcare expertise in master planning and facility design for Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Behavioral Health Cancer Care Heart and Vascular Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Women & Children’s Health

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One prominent name among such companies is EYP, a fullservice architecture and engineering firm specializing in the planning and design of facilities for health care, higher education, science and technology, and the federal government.

The team states that EYP feels fortunate to be working with a wide range of healthcare clients—and many academic medical centers—and can offer them cross-disciplinary teams when it adds value, engaging experts from other parts of the company when it may benefit their project. So, not only can a client expect a team of healthcare professionals, but also, when appropriate, experts in modernization, health sciences, biomedical research, or innovation hubs.

“Having critical thinkers at the table at the outset of design, can mean the difference between accomplishing the ordinary or achieving the extraordinary. That extra level of inquiry can have a big impact,” says Kimberly.

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10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021 “We begin every project by asking, ‘What’s possible?’ EYP is an interdisciplinary, people-first organization focused on providing optimal solutions. We embrace collaboration, innovation, empathy, and the sheer joy of exploration. This is who we are, why we’re different, and what makes us the right team for so many healthcare opportunities,” she adds.

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Distinctive Expertise At the helm of EYP’s healthcare practice is Stanley, who attributes the firm’s ascending prominence in architecture to an outstanding healthcare leadership team, including a core group of strategic master planners, medical planners, designers, and marketing professionals who team up to discuss and strategize the direction of the practice.

A life-long fascination with buildings, coupled with a love of science, led Kimberly to study architecture, with a specialty in healthcare design. For over 25 years, she has worked with national and international design firms, and now serves as the healthcare sector leader for EYP. Kimberly is recognized for innovative work at academic medical centers. She is a national expert in children’s healthcare design and a staunch advocate for putting the patient at the center of the healthcare experience. She is passionate about the ‘big ideas’ in healthcare today, and

how design can play a role in positioning clients for success.

A big believer in collaboration, Kimberly draws on EYP’s family of creative thinkers in the exploration of ideas. She works with clients to deliver innovative, patient-centered, and technology-enabled buildings that can respond to a dynamic and competitive industry.

By optimizing the workplace, leveraging new and emerging technologies, and embracing the philosophy behind population health, Kimberly’s design ideas have raised expectations about what the future of healthcare should look like, and feel like, for patients, healthcare providers, and communities.

Sharing insightful advice to those aspiring to venture into the healthcare architecture space, Kimberly says, “Building knowledge and expertise in the healthcare space takes time, and it also requires a certain passion about the industry as a whole. It is complex, multi-faceted, data-rich and requires a full immersion to become proficient – and, even then, the healthcare industry is in a constant state of change. It takes a real passion and commitment to operate at the highest level of design performance in this field. So, for those starting out and enthusiastic about healthcare architecture, I would say, it’s a meaningful journey: a long process of building expertise, learning from extraordinary healthcare providers along the way, and being part of a team, whose goal is to build healthier communities.”

Opinions that Matter We asked Kimberly for her opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and the challenges she and her team faced during the initial phase of the pandemic. Kimberly said, “The pandemic had a profound impact on the healthcare architecture market. My respect for our healthcare clients has never been higher given what they endured and the vital service they provided over the last year.”

“Institutions, large and small, were grappling with an

unprecedented public health crisis at the same time they were experiencing staggering financial losses. Many capital plans were scrapped or put on hold, and the healthcare architecture community stepped up to provide emergency assistance during the pandemic: expediting ICU conversions, repurposing space for patient care, retrofitting mechanical systems to increase isolation capacity, designing Covid testing sites and more.”

“In terms of operations, surprisingly, many projects that were in progress proceeded as planned, and EYP was fortunate in that regard – remaining busy throughout 2020, balancing pro-bono Covid work alongside projects in progress. We were initially challenged, as all firms were, by the quick pivot to working from home, the rapid changes to workflow, the virtual design process, and the technology bandwidth.”

“We were also challenged by the very real need of parents to balance childcare and work commitments in an at-home environment – and I’m proud to say that we met that challenge quite well. EYP’s leadership team and ‘peoplefirst’ culture allowed us to quickly rally the troops, collaborate on flexible approaches, and move forward with a plan that really worked. We learned so much over the last year that will forever change how we work.”

“We were also curious about how our clients were faring, so in the middle of the pandemic, a team at EYP launched ‘The Healthcare Workplace Consortium’ and invited about a dozen academic medical centers across the country to join a conversation about the pandemic’s impact on the workplace, what they were experiencing, and how they were thinking about the future with regard to their facilities. It was enormously insightful, and the consortium continues today, with healthcare organizations sharing how the pandemic has influenced their thinking about real estate, facilities and the workplace,” adds Kimberly.

Is Technology the Way Forward?

“In many respects, technology is no longer a separate topic from the building itself – it is the building. When we conceive of the infrastructure necessary for a hospital’s future flexibility, for instance, we must acknowledge that the healthcare industry is changing so rapidly that the future is unknowable – so designing facilities that are technologically enabled will be one of many important design criteria going forward. With so many new and emerging technologies, it’s not surprising that IT is getting an ever-growing piece of the pie as we examine the budget for new and renovated facilities.”

“The future of healthcare architecture may be one in which ‘value’ is more precisely defined than in the past. I might liken it to a smart chess match, where the environment is the queen, but technology is king: playing a central role in the design process; pushing data to drive decisions, pushing the envelope of experiential design, and allowing the client a real-time understanding of the cost associated with choices they make. Although there is not yet a unified platform for all the software and tools to help streamline what is possible – in many ways, the future is now. Buckle up!”

Toward New Horizons

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It is always the best practice to seek opinions from experts with firsthand experience. In that sense, we asked Kimberley for her opinion on the future of healthcare architecture considering the normalization of technologies such as AI and machine learning, to which she says, “Healthcare architecture is already undergoing a transformation where technology—and techniques to leverage technology—are becoming an integral part of architecture and design, and how a building is expected to perform.”

EYP’s healthcare practice has been growing steadily for some time and is envisioned to continue throughout 2021 and beyond, both in project volume and geographically.

Currently, the firm has about ten offices nationwide and recently opened a new office in Florida.

Although EYP already has sizable offices in Washington, DC; Albany, NY, and Boston, MA, it is planning to further expand its healthcare presence in the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. EYP is also looking into several strategic initiatives to offer its clients access to even more expertise.

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CO Architects’ principal goal has been to design environments that have lasting impacts.

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While intensively doing research on the topic for our edition titled, 10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021, we came across CO Architects, a highly recognized and trusted healthcare architecture firm specializing in creating spaces that promote healing and learning.

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hen it comes to buildings, be it a home, office, hotel, etc., architecture plays a very vital role in making it appealing or comfortable for people.

Similarly, healthcare institutions need a good sense of architecture to them as well. People depend on healthcare institutions and organizations for their health and recovery, and therefore, building places that provide those healthcare facilities are majorly important.

While considering the specs of building a healthcare institution like a hospital, it is imperative to consider all aspects. From patients and visitors finding it comfortable to find their way around and even have access to certain amenities and facilities like parking, waiting rooms, washrooms, cafeterias; to even making it a comfortable place of work for the staff, with rooms to relax, change, etc.

In an exclusive with Jenna Knudsen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Managing Principal, we received insights into the firm's journey in the Healthcare Architecture Industry and her opinions about the market that the firm caters to along with the products and services they provide.

Below are the highlights of the interview: Please brief our audience about CO Architects, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the healthcare architecture niche.

CO Architects specializes in creating spaces that promote healing and learning. The practice is internationally recognized for its planning, programming and design expertise for hospitals, medical centers, clinics, MOBs, as well as medical and health-sciences educational projects.

Since the firm's founding in 1986, CO Architects’ principal goal has been to design environments that have lasting impacts for both; the communities these buildings elevate and the people who use them to provide vital services and

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Leveraging Innovation to Create Safe Spaces proliferate knowledge. The firm's proficiency in design, technical systems, documentation, and project delivery plays an essential role in fulfilling this goal. CO Architects also provides its clients with comprehensive facility evaluation.

Tell us more about your services and solutions that make your firm stand out from the competition?

Each healthcare project gives us the opportunity to advance design. By applying evidence-based data, we create environments that enhance human interaction, help improve patient outcomes, and support caregivers.

A decade ago, CO Architects pioneered the acuity-adaptable patient-room model commonly referred to as the Universal Room. This approach accommodates a variety of care levels while minimizing movement within the hospital, thereby limiting exposure to other patients and potential infections.

Since we also design health-sciences teaching environments, CO Architects can integrate future caregivers' insights when creating clinical spaces, while incorporating the latest in clinical environments and processes into education.

For example, the current learning environment is more collaborative than ever. To ease the transition between meded and professional practice, we are designing healthcare staff spaces that are less hierarchical, with fewer private offices to encourage a team-based approach to caregiving.

We consider ourselves problem-solvers for our clients and are able to apply user input from health-sciences education and clinical projects to improve design.

Jenna, please share with our readers, your journey in the design and architecture industry.

From a young age, my father noticed my immense interest in architectural drawing and encouraged me to pursue architecture. An architect is the only thing I wanted to be.

After graduating from USC Architecture, my first project was in healthcare. I enjoyed the size and complexity of the

Exhibiting Excellence During the past 35 years, CO Architects has won more than 175 awards for innovative design and project delivery, including nine honors for the Palomar Medical Center project alone. Following are a few highlights: • AIA California Architecture Firm of the Year (2014) • Engineering News-Record California Design Firm of the Year (2019) • AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Design Award, Palomar Medical Center, San Diego, CA (2013) • American Architecture Award, Palomar Medical Center, San Diego, CA (2013) • American Architecture Award, University of Kansas Medical Center Health Education Building (2019) • LA Architectural Award, Shriners for Children Medical Center, Pasadena, CA (2018) • Engineering News-Record California Best Healthcare Project, Kaiser San Diego Medical Center (2017) • AIA Academy of Architecture for Health Design Award, University of Arizona Cancer Center North Campus, Tucson, AZ (2008) • AN Best of Design Honorable Mention (Interior Healthcare), Cedars-Sinai Advanced Health Sciences Outpatient Pavilion, Beverly Hills, CA (2020)

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An emphasis on daylight to promote patient healing and decrease caregiver stress is evident at Cedars-Sinai's Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion Outpatient Surgery Suite.

Natural light is channelled into operating rooms through the staff-only scrub corridor.

Photo: Kim Rogers/Courtesy CO Architects

A decade ago, Palomar Medical Center in San Diego showcased several innovative design features. It was one of the first healthcare buildings in the US to bring natural light into operating rooms, and the project was an early adopter of biophilia: patient rooms were purposely designed with landscape views, and the 11-story facility includes a massive green roof and gardens within the building Photo: Tom Bonner/Courtesy CO Architects.

Shriners for Children Medical Center in Pasadena, CA, presented the opportunity to create soothing spaces for children undergoing orthotic procedures and rehabilitation. Natural light, colorful wall murals, and signage enhance clarity of wayfinding for patients, families, and visitors.

Photo: Tom Bonner/Courtesy CO Architects

CO Architects leverages newer technologies, such as robotics and virtual reality, to attract and inspire the next generation of healthcare providers. The recently completed University of Arizona Health Sciences Innovation Building in Tucson has a simulation “theater” that includes elements from the Grey's Anatomy soundstage.

The design incorporates insights from a faculty member who served as a consultant on the TV show.

Photo: Bill Timmerman/Courtesy CO Architects

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design problem, but also quickly understood the societal importance of good healthcare design.

What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and what challenges did your firm face during the initial phase of the pandemic?

We have anticipated high-demand, pandemic-type scenarios for years. The Universal Room approach was heavily influenced by the desire to contain virulent diseases. In addition to addressing patients' needs, the pandemic also highlighted caregivers' workplace concerns.

Recent on-the-job stress has led to unprecedented burnout among healthcare providers, inspiring us to create environments that are as soothing as possible for caregivers.

These include staff-only floors that prioritize natural light and outdoor views, and private, soundproof ‘Lavender Rooms' where caregivers can seek respite from workrelated stress.

With disease-centered patient care becoming more complex, interdisciplinary collaboration has become more critical. We believe in design principles of flexibility and diversity of space to design all the different ways that care providers collaborate—huddles, telemedicine, and training.

Based in Los Angeles, our transition from office-based to remote working was fairly abrupt. Fortunately, the firm has a long history in adopting the latest technological tools for doing our jobs better, so we pivoted quickly. Our staff went above and beyond to ensure that clients were happy with project progress, and the firm assessed employees' remoteworking situations individually to provide everyone with the resources they needed. As our workload grew throughout 2020, we adapted by conducting job interviews over video and onboarding new talent remotely.

We have prioritized team and office connections through various forms of outreach, from individual check-ins to firm-wide 'Town Halls'. Even remotely, the staff came together and arranged catered meals for local healthcare workers during the height of the pandemic to show our appreciation for their caring efforts in response to the surge in patients.

design technology and are constantly exploring digital tools that help optimize building and interior design and delivery.

We created a virtual-reality experience that lets us collaborate with OR staff to optimize surgical environments. Caregivers can wear VR googles and “work” virtually, providing us with early-stage feedback about the 3D-modeled OR's features and amenities.

We'll still see the use of traditional data-gathering and continue to conduct follow-up focus groups and surveys months after completing projects. Through their first-hand accounts, caregivers and administrators provide valuable feedback, telling us which features work best, as well as how staff and patient spaces can be made more effective.

With our Data Knowledge Manager, we are developing a database of design metrics that will inform our work.

As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the market?

Healthcare design should remain strong for the foreseeable future, as our population increases, and people are now living longer. Advances in medicine, as well as new diseases, continue to evolve healthcare design solutions.

There are incredible design opportunities for individuals who aspire to make an impact through design, and who don't shy away from complexity. Healthcare should remain one of the most vibrant typologies in the architecture/engineering/construction segment.

We'd recommend aspiring architects and interior designers send résumés to firms that already specialize in healthcare projects and let your passion and interest be known.

How do you envision scaling your firm’s operations and offerings in 2021?

Most of our institutional projects have multi-year timelines, and many of our in-progress buildings were planned and/or funded before the pandemic. We continue to bid on new healthcare and health-sciences complexes in addition to K12 facilities, labs, and higher-ed buildings. We plan to pursue more interiors-only projects for companies and organizations exploring post-pandemic changes to the workplace.

With continuous development in technologies such as AI and big data, what is your prediction about the future of healthcare architecture?

We pride ourselves on being industry leaders in digital

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Overcoming the Obstacles

Impeding Clinical Trials - By Harsha Rajasimha, Ph.D., Founder, and CEO, Jeeva Informatics Solutions Inc.

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o say that COVID-19 has been a challenge to healthcare systems around the world is a gross understatement. The pandemic has also been very effective at exposing gaps in the U.S. healthcare system. Front-line healthcare workers have been drastically overworked, hospitals ERs and ICUs have been filled to capacity, and innumerable other effects from the pandemic have been felt across the healthcare system.

Medical trials, in particular, have experienced serious adverse effects.

As someone focused on accelerating medical trials, the complex processes of developing drugs and devices that are regulated at the international, national, and regional levels, I have seen the fallout first-hand.

The first phase of the pandemic quickly brought most ongoing clinical trials to a grinding halt as clinical trials relied on in-person face-to-face interactions between clinical researchers and patients. Patients were scared to go out of their homes and not to a hospital/clinic as there was a significant risk of exposure to COVID-19. The clinical trial industry was caught unprepared to ensure continuity and integrity during the pandemic. Most new clinical trials had to be postponed indefinitely.

In addition, there was a lack of validated tools that could enable flexible remote clinical trial operations.

Stitching together numerous a la carte tools on a per-clinical trial basis is not scalable. These gaps were already

known to the life science industry, but for far too long, there had been inaction.

However, platform technology is helping to decentralize clinical trials by bringing them to patients’ homes rather than forcing patients to travel to the trial sites. That’s the paradigm shift we are witnessing in the life science industry: Ÿ

“Bring Your Own Device” (BYOD) apps work on any browser-enabled mobile device.

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Cloud-based centralized real-time data collection is enabling remote patient screening, education, engagement, enrollment, remote electronic informed consent, and retention in clinical trials. The advantages are numerous.

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Telemedicine and video conferencing systems are enabling secure follow-up visits between trial sites and patients, further reducing the travel burden on patients.

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Continuous stream of clinical endpoints is collected from patients using wearable sensors in between episodic visits.

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Patient-reported outcomes are captured directly in electronic formats from questionnaires.

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Medication adherence and concomitant medications are captured in daily electronic diaries.

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Trial sites and patients can communicate with each other throughout the clinical trial via video, audio, SMS, and emails.

Furthermore, the emergence of integrated or a la carte and scalable technology platforms enable flexible options for patients with virtual or in-person participation in each aspect of clinical operations. Centralized monitoring enables trial sponsors, CROs, and sites to manage risks and take corrective action preventive action (CAPA) early on.

Decentralization of clinical trials improve recruitment, diversity, and retention by expanding the reach to patients living far away from the trial sites. This breaks the traditional paradigm where most patients lived within a 50-mile radius of the trial sites. AI-based algorithms operating on electronic medical records (EMRs) are enabling sites to match patients to complex inclusion/exclusion criteria of a clinical trial protocol. By utilizing telemedicine and digital health technologies, prospective patients are being identified via social media channels to refer them to sites.

In extreme cases, clinical studies are being conducted entirely on digital platforms without any face-to-face interactions. This is helping address a long-standing industry problem of lack of diversity in clinical trials. While less than 1% of patients had a chance to access traditional brick-and-mortar clinical trials, more than 82% of

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Expert Opinion

About Harsha Rajasimha, MS, Ph.D. Dr. Rajasimha is the founder and CEO of the decentralized clinical trials software company, Jeeva Informatics Solutions, based in Virginia. He is a precision medicine data scientist-turned social entrepreneur on a mission to accelerate humancentric clinical research through technology innovation and global advocacy.

Americans and over 60% of the world’s population having Internet access are starting to have the opportunity to participate in clinical research.

It has been generally acknowledged there has been a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion in clinical trials, particularly since 2014. However, there has never been a regulatory mandate on this matter. Doing what’s right is not always easy when incentives are not favorably aligned. However, with growing public awareness about this issue, we have seen a negative impact on the stock performance of biopharmaceutical companies that showed a lack of diversity during the pandemic.

levels. This includes hiring and maintaining a diverse workforce, responsible adoption of decentralized clinical trials, and uncompromisingly reinforcing commitments to uphold the moral and ethical principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Above all, they are now putting operational excellence as a top priority. Leaders at organizations such as the Association for Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP), Clinical Trials Transformational Initiative (CTTI), the recently formed decentralized clinical trials alliance (DTRA), and others can influence educational curricula, industry standards, best practices, and multinational declarations such as the Declaration of Helsinki and the Belmont Report.

This means healthcare leaders must make this a priority at the board governance level and make strategic organizational upgrades at various

It’s imperative that the C-Suite understands that public trust is hard to gain and easy to lose. There is historical mistrust among minorities

with the healthcare systems in general and clinical research in particular. Life science organizations have to make efforts to earn the trust of minorities, women, and underrepresented populations in the geographies they serve. As we saw with COVID-19, healthcare is a global issue. Clinical trial leaders should make it a priority to include the target populations proportionally in clinical trials as a way to earn back public trust.

As clinical trial leaders, we seek to address patient recruitment, patient retention, and quality of real-time evidence generation while adhering to national and international regulatory guidelines. I strongly believe through overcoming these obstacles; we will go far to accelerate clinical trials and allow all concerned stakeholders to make meaningful contributions to medicine, which is always the ultimate goal.

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Building it right

Five Reasons

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hen people fall sick to an extent of severity, they seek expert medical attention for a speedy recovery with proper treatment. However, the architecture and the design of the hospital are not among their pressing concerns.

Imagine visiting a top-notch restaurant or a luxury hotel; the first thing people appreciate is the lavish interior design; well, it is the mindset and the thoughts while visiting such places.

In a hospital, people are more concerned about the condition of their loved ones, wishing for their quick recovery and wanting them to feel better as soon as possible. However, architecture and design matter more and are more vital than people think. Here are the five reasons why: Good architecture can make people feel more confident One of the primary goals at a hospital is to make the patients feel better as they are in a place that provides the best quality care for them. Bright lighting, positive and catchy color scheme, well-utilized spaces, and modern furniture can lead to an increase in the confidence of the

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facility's adequacy and competence of the staff members who are engaged in the process of healing.

The noise level of a hospital could lead to such assuredness as well. If an environment is too loud and noisy, it can lead to cause irritation among the staff and their patients as well.

With proper soundproofing, adequate utilization of the space can reduce the sound waves, resulting in patients carefully listening and focusing on the physician's instructions or other home care instructions.

Thoughtful architecture design can improve patient safety Architecture design can influence patient safety in a myriad of ways. The single-bed specialized treatment ward can help in stopping the spread of infection. The research indicates the facts which reveal, if these special treatment wards are designed with flexibility in mind, where care needs to be implemented in the designated manner, problems like medication errors and falls are likely to reduce to a greater extent.

It is easier to observe the patients throughout the healing and medication process. Besides, it may not be a necessity anymore to move the patients to different departments, such as from intensive care to step-down care unit if their rooms are more adaptable and compatible with the easy accessibility of the required equipment. This enhances patient safety and increases the continuity of the care, as the patients are getting enough rest and are not getting shuffled around to different departments.

Architecture assists in emergency evacuations Few but crucial reasons behind evacuating hospitals - if there is any fire incident or gas leak in the premises. During this situation, the staff must decide which patients to move first and what can be the safest way to evacuate the patients safely. Professionally designed wide hallways, anti-slip surfaces, and backup lighting can help all the personnel to move throughout the building during these emergency situations.

Architects design the structure with a stable base, accordingly with the concerns of natural calamities. Some of them also safeguard against progressive collapse, which means that one damaged portion of the hospital will not create a domino effect and disturb the other stable portions of the building. Also, these healthcare buildings are elevated for protection against heavy rains or floods so that

the water cannot enter the premises with the concerns of preventive measures that can make the situation less dangerous.

Well-designed architecture can boost staff morale and productivity In addition to patient wellness and health care on priority, hospitals are designed with a contradictory color scheme which enhances the mood and creates a positive mindset among the staff members and the patients. Ergonomic workspaces could retain strain, while the dining area for the staff members is designed with a special theme that can eventually enhance their mood.

The architects also design the dedicated areas for outside team members, such as social workers and clergy, who are not involved with the patient healthcare directly but still are required within the hospital environment. Those people can focus on their work and in the areas that are separate from but accessible to where doctors and nurses’ work.

Architecture influences patient healing and stress-management Eventually, people will recognize that architectural design affects the patient's healing process. Beginning with the basics, the windows play a vital role and are the pioneers to start the natural healing process. When human brain recognizes the calm and ambiance enhancing sunshine through the window, it starts to think positively about the surroundings, which initiates the healing process.

Some of the healthcare facilities offer garden-facing patient rooms that allow bed-bound people to enjoy nature, even if they cannot go out. Nonetheless, healthcare facilities are prioritizing the use of natural materials like wood, and stone within their interior design, resulting in the surroundings, feeling warmer and inviting.

Building it right: These factors contribute to the healthcare facilities in creating a friendly and supportive environment for their patients. People will soon realize that the only fundamental which is driving these facilities by increasing the engagement with their patients through creating a positive atmosphere is happening because of precisely designed healthcare architecture.

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-Abhishek Joshi

Cuhaci & Peterson P

lanning to build something be it a shop, restaurant, hospital, or house requires persistent efforts as it entails imagination and unique ideas. An ingenious design and arrangement can create a strong visual impact on the observer's mind and would also be comfortable for the user.

Organizations that provide integrated construction services reduce your excessive efforts and allow you to focus on your visionary dream.

Executive Officer, Steven Blevins, the Director of Digital Service, Sean Topper, the Technical Manager, and Scott Parker, the Senior Project Coordinator of Cuhaci & Peterson, shared their journey of making Cuhaci & Peterson one of the most trusted healthcare architecture companies in 2021.

One such company is Cuhaci & Peterson, which is a nationally recognized architectural and engineering services, planning, interior design, and government relations company based in Maitland, Florida. This company’s excellence in work has won the trust of many clients across the world.

Please brief our audience about Cuhaci & Peterson, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the healthcare architecture niche.

In an exclusive interview with Insights Success, Greg Simpson, the Chief

Following are the highlights of the interview:

Cuhaci & Peterson is a nationally recognized design firm with 50 registered professionals in 50 states.

Dedicated to its mission to exceed expectations by transforming an idea into value, the Central Florida-based

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10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021

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firm is excited to partner with its clients to create places that people experience and remember.

For more than eight years, C&P has designed assisted living facilities, skilled nursing facilities, independent living facilities, medical office buildings, dental offices, memory care facilities, and animal care hospitals/facilities.

“Everything in our projects is customized and personalized for whatever our clients need,” said Scott Parker, a Senior Project Coordinator at the firm with 35 years-experience on healthcare architecture projects.

“Our strength is that not only do we do a good job, but we also listen and take the time to see that our client’s job is done with personalized care so their customers will enjoy the experience.

We also keep tabs on everything to make sure it’s moving forward in the design process,” he added.

Tell us more about your services and solutions which make Cuhaci & Peterson stand out from the competition?

Our suite of services ensures a dedicated and thoughtful team that identifies ways to understand our

clients’ needs and vision. Our collaborative culture provides the best client outcomes and fosters innovation and improvement with each project that we touch. Our services include Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ Ÿ

Architecture Architecture Design Engineering Mechanical & Plumbing Electrical Fire Protection Structural Permitting Services Construction Administration Project/Program Management

What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and what challenges did Cuhaci & Peterson face during the initial phase of the pandemic?

Current Pandemic on Global Healthcare Architecture Market: “Overall, it’s a dramatic impact on the system, from staff and the facilities to the architectural design, it brings up challenges of how we modify our approach, plan, and design for those needs in the future,” said Sean Sopper, Technical Manager at the firm.

“A lot of it is looking at all points of containment of the infectious disease,

how it affects everything from space planning, entry points of staff, residents, and guests, and ways to minimize the spread,” he added.

This means creating containment zones within facilities to minimize the spread of these types of diseases. We also need to look at kitchen space, prep areas, and the needs of the staff. For residents - how do they quarantine in their rooms and receive the same level of care without feeling isolated?

Skilled nursing facilities and assisted living communities are about a community feel and how do you still maintain a positive outlook for the patients when their need states have changed along with the rules around visitation.

All these things affect the efficiency of the facility and truly get to the root of how it changes our design, space planning, and programming to create areas to allow for dealing with infectious diseases.

Initial Phase of the Pandemic Challenge: Initially, a lot of projects were put on hold due to the uncertainty of what is this, what it is going to do, and what type of legislation or mandate would come up that may change healthcare.

Secondly, it affected the demand oddly

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in that many people decided to postpone the enrolment of a family member in skilled nursing or assisted living facility. Many felt there may be a health risk and there was a general reluctance to using facilities unless it was necessary.

Thirdly, there were challenges around what design modifications would need to be implemented in future facilities so families would have comfort in feeling their loved one is safe. We started doing remodels to make sure the facilities were safe to modify their environment or methodologies of cleaning or sterilization.

With continuous development in technologies such as AI and big data, what is your prediction about the future of healthcare architecture?

“The main thing is the designer is going to be more empowered throughout the architecture design,” said Steven Blevins, Director of Digital Practice at the firm. “There is going to be more decision-making capabilities that will be empowered by artificial intelligence. It doesn’t mean AI will be in control but will allow designers to make more real-time design decisions based on more data that’s available,” he added.

Blevins noted AI machine learning will be an enabler of that real-time learning and our designers will have more capability, better design decisions can be made sooner, and more options will be presented based on enriched detailed information.

community clinics to full hospitals and resident oriented-facilities,” explained Greg Simpson, Chief Executive Officer.

Provide us details regarding the awards and recognition that Cuhaci & Peterson has achieved since its inception.

“Whether it’s physical or mental health, explore the wide range of opportunities and find the one that speaks to you. Connect with that side of the industry and look at new realms of architecture that are improving the quality of life for medical facilities,” he added.

Cuhaci & Peterson has consistently been recognized by national media outlets as one of the top architecture and engineering firms in the country.

While features about our firm are appreciated, our biggest accolades come from the feedback we receive from our clients and supporters throughout the United States.

How do you envision scaling Cuhaci & Peterson operations and offerings in 2021?

We will continue to meet the demand and needs of our clients and respond to their needs. Our project portfolio will remain diversified for the communities we serve. We will also continue to offer our personalized and customized services to scale. C&P has strength in its size and sector expertise.

The depth of our staff allows us to operate at scale by easily integrating additional staff resources with comparable knowledge and skills.

When multiple projects are facilitated through the same team members efficiencies are gained, consistent quality is delivered, and relationships are established making for a strong communicational link between the client and team.

Please feel free to add any other additional details which we might have missed out on or which you want to highlight in the article.

Our project approach is simple. We establish clear communications from the start. This is key since there is better communication and coordination when the project team can meet regularly and communicate.

Whether face to face or virtually, we are working to ensure there are no barriers to concise and consistent communication. We also focus on the big picture while planning the details.

Our goal is to look beyond the obvious, identify potential issues and opportunities based on our combined experiences, and plan for options.

As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the market?

“There is a wide range of needs in the healthcare market itself, from small

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10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021

Sculpting Architectural Masterpieces

H

ave you ever pondered upon the importance of strong infrastructure for healthcare institutions?

We believe that the answer lies within the discipline of healthcare architecture and this edition of Insights Care titled, The 10 Most Trusted Healthcare Architecture Companies 2021 highlights the organizations that have designed contemporary and innovative healthcare infrastructures.

One prominent example of such firms is Diamond Schmitt, a global architecture firm designing transformative, purpose-driven, and highly sustainable buildings from its four studios located in New York, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver.

Below are the highlights of the interview:

In the following interview, Matt Smith, the Principal at Diamond Schmit Architects, shares with us the company’s journey and its contribution in the design of healthcare infrastructures.

From its four studios located in New York, Toronto, Calgary, and Vancouver, Diamond Schmitt designs cutting-edge, highly adaptable laboratories for a variety of contexts,

Please brief our audience about your company, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the healthcare architecture niche.

The emergence of big data is improving system intelligence.

Matt Smith Principal

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from urban medical facilities to university science buildings.

Technological development promises to address some of the most pernicious obstacles to system improvement in the healthcare market.

These healthcare, research and innovation spaces are designed to support transformational research, academic excellence, and communal engagement, reflecting the firm’s extensive experience and characteristically thoughtful, research-driven approach.

Each facility is expertly customized, offering scientists and researchers flexibility to adapt to the continually shifting technical and spatial requirements of their fields. Despite the energy-intensive demands of many healthcare and research facilities, Diamond Schmitt’s designs meet rigorous sustainability standards, often achieving LEED certifications and recognized with numerous environmental leadership awards.

Tell us more about your services and solutions which make your company stand out from the competition?

To account for the increasingly complex nature of the work undertaken in laboratories and healthcare buildings, these spaces are carefully arrayed to allow for cross-disciplinary

collaboration and interaction. One of Diamond Schmitt’s notable approaches consolidates laboratories located in dense metropolitan areas within vertical structures linked by series of atria and stairways, resulting in increased connectivity and maximizing the ability for researchers to more naturally collaborate.

With designs informed by extensive dialogue with researchers, students, and teachers, Diamond Schmitt integrates elements that promote the physical and mental well-being of those who ultimately use these facilities, such as strategically placed lab benches with ample natural light and showers to encourage researchers to bike to work.

Their designs also incorporate features—from large street-facing windows to education rooms—that create opportunities for the community at large to interact with and develop an understanding of the research being undertaken in these spaces.

Finally, Diamond Schmitt elevates these environments by integrating sitespecific artworks and design installations into the fabric of these buildings, from commissioned sculptures to living walls.

What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and what challenges did your company face during the initial phase of the pandemic?

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It is still early to predict what the impact of COVID-19 will be on hospital design and operations. Some of our clients have spent the last year contemplating how they will address the system vulnerabilities that have been exposed by the pandemic, such as lack of isolation capacity, critical care bed shortages, and triage and flow management during surge events.

It will be challenging for hospitals to remain focused on these issues as they begin to re-open and address the backlog in elective procedures and perhaps the inevitable health impacts to patients who intentionally delayed diagnostics or treatment out of fear of contracting the disease.

These impacts may be of the greatest significance to the health system at large as they suggest a change in the way that we conceive of the hospital as a single point of care in favour of a more distributed system of services that can remain functional during a health crisis such as the pandemic.

Market conditions have been very challenging during the pandemic, particularly as they pertain to product and material availability and related costs.

Facilitating the expansion of our growing offices has been a key area of focus for management team in 2021.

Key supply chains have been disrupted and, despite directives to remain open, construction sites have experienced significant reductions in productivity due to COVID-19 protocols and reduced manpower. These impacts have negatively affected construction schedules, but also led to delays in the commencement of projects arising from a need to recalibrate budget allocations to deal with new market conditions.

With continuous development in technologies such as AI and big data, what is your prediction about the future of healthcare architecture?

Technological development promises to address some of the most pernicious obstacles to system improvement in the

healthcare market. The emergence of big data is improving system intelligence as it relates to population health, demographics, and disease prevalence, which in turn will help Health Authorities to better calibrate services and facilities to the populations that they serve.

Remote monitoring, both through wearable and implanted devices, enhanced telemedicine capabilities and the resulting development of personalized medicine will empower patients to better manage their personal health and help to overcome resistance to following care regimens and interacting with the healthcare system.

AI technologies promise to improve the accuracy of imaging diagnostics and facilitate medical diagnoses, while

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also reducing medical errors. These technologies will have a greater impact on the delivery of care than on healthcare architecture itself, however taken together they have great potential to reduce the prevalence and severity of chronic health conditions which are a growing burden to the health system.

A shift in focus from complex continuing care to health maintenance and prevention is an objective of the healthcare system generally, as it will allow hospitals to divert capital and operations costs tied to beds in favour of improved diagnostics and delivery.

The development of new technologies certainly appears to be supporting this transition.

As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the market?

being open to all these various project types and scenarios with the attitude that each affords an opportunity to learn and to contribute positively to improvements in public health and the health system.

How do you envision on scaling your company’s operations and offerings in 2021?

Fortunately, the Canadian marketplace has remained strong. Facilitating the expansion of our growing offices has been a key area of focus for management team in 2021. Business continues to grow with more and larger commissions in both Canada and in the United States. These growth challenges have impacted our operational models and we have augmented existing structures to accommodate the growth of both staff numbers and project complexity.

In terms of business development, we have sought to maintain a broad sectoral and geographic distribution of work that cushions potential downturns in one sector from negatively impacting overall growth. We have made structural changes to our operations that see focused teams target major areas for growth - namely post-secondary academic, health care, performing arts and commercial interiors.

A team-based approach to sector specific work is a new undertaking, and this model is intended to both elevate our position in the marketplace while providing training and exposure for more junior staff to the requirements of business development.

The healthcare market is broad and diverse and presents significant opportunity and considerable complexity. It is not uncommon to be engaged in projects that range in size from a few thousand to a million square feet or that require resolution at a basic planning level through to a complete and commissioned facility.

Many projects extend over years, or even decades, as they proceed through approvals milestones and changes in system requirements. Care models continue to evolve and, although there are standards and similarities among facilities, each hospital represents a unique approach to caring for a specific community with a specialized care team.

Hospital buildings live long lives and are subject to almost ongoing renovations and re-programming.

Engaging in the healthcare market requires some tenacity and humility -

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D

ue to the pandemic push, the future of interconnected healthcare is already here. It is revolutionized by the Internet of Medical Things or IoMT in short. For us, healthcare meant either using things like pills, thermometers, blood pressure monitors, and even stethoscope to assess and treat ourselves, or going to a doctor, who will then using the same or more advanced devices like x-ray machines, will assess and treat us.

IoMT has turned all such medical things and wellness devices into smart, interconnected, and intercommunicating units of a single ecosystem. This ecosystem enables remote patient healthcare, real-time information and data collection, data storage, data analysis, data retrieval, and data sharing. It also improves inhospital hygiene and patient status monitoring, helps prevent patient infections, and even assists in expediting emergency care, maintaining and regulating ICU,

mortuary, freezer, medicine cabinet, refrigerator temperatures, etc.

IoMT further helps outside the hospital or medical facilities where patients use smart wearables like pulse, heartbeat, and BP monitors and check their insulin, glucose, and sugar levels using apps on their smartphones. Although the devices are outside the facilities, they are constantly communicating and exchanging data with the in-hospital ecosystem via the internet, made available by the tiny or miniature computer chips embedded in all the above-listed things and devices, insyncing them and enabling them to exchange real-time info.

It seems like science fiction. But it is science fiction becoming present and future reality.

Smart Healthcare Ecosystem: The Future is here A healthcare system contains people (patients, doctors, caretakers, clinic

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technicians, etc.), processes (diagnosis, treatment, healthcare delivery, patient admin and support), info/data (everything from patient info to pre-in-and-post-treatment data), and enablers (healthcare things and medical devices, equipment, and care units).

IoMT connects these different aspects (of people, infrastructure, and devices) and brings them together on a single online platform to enhance the entire healthcare ecosystem and make it more effective and inclusive.

There are many examples of IoMT like smart consumer wearables, daily health trackers, intelligent healthcare monitoring equipment, smart sock baby monitors and surgical robots, etc.

We can broadly categorize them into a few major segments. #On-Bosy Wearables: It can be further divided into smart consumer wearables and clinical and medical-grade wearables.

Smart consumer wearables are personal fitness/wellness consumergrade devices. They include smart bands, smart wristbands, smart sport watches, fitness/activity trackers, and smart garments. Most of these devices are unregulated yet may be endorsed and advised by experts for specific health conditions and applications. The acceptance is based on informal consumer studies, third-party surveys, and private experimental, clinical validations.

Clinical/medical-grade devices are regulated and approved/certified by one or more health regulatory authorities. Most of these devices are prescription and expert advice based.

Examples include smart belts (for elderly fall detection and hip protection), sports headsets (to stimulate brain muscle memory, strength, endurance, etc., during

physical workout and routine exercise training), and Neuromodulation wearable (it strokes sensory nerves to provide faster relief from chronic pain).

healthcare goods and services (like medical and surgical supplies, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and equipment, medicines, etc.) required by the healthcare facilitators.

#In-home Smart Ecosystem:

IoMT sensors are used in such cases to measure shock, humidity, temperature, and tilt, end-to-end visibility solutions like radio-frequency identification (RFID) and barcodes, and drones that provide rapid last-mile delivery.

This segment comprises remote patient monitoring (RPM), emergency response systems (PERS), and telehealth virtual visits.

RPM encompasses all in-home health monitoring sensors and devices. They are used in chronic disease management, acute home monitoring, and medication management.

PERS is designed for emergency medical care, where quick communication and access to a medical facility are necessary. So, in such cases, the system integrates different wearable relay units/devices with an active medical emergency call center unit to enhance homebound selfreliance for seniors with limited mobility.

Telephone virtual visits provide virtual healthcare management and remote prescriptions through video observations, evaluation, online assessment, digital tests, and video consultations. #Intercommunity services: The first example is mobility, where health parameters are tracked by automated passenger vehicles (ambulance) while the patient is in transit. The second example is emergency response intelligence crafted to help first responders to the emergency or paramedics and other caregivers available. The third example is POC or point-of-care devices used outside the home or hospital facility like in medical camps. The last example is in healthcare logistics. It includes delivering and transporting

#In-hospital/In-clinic services: IoMT devices in this segment include a wearable defibrillator (to constantly monitor patients who are at risk of fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia), a hand hygiene compliance system (to track and determine whether hygiene protocol is being flowed and maintained by users), and a GPS-based app (to guide hospital visitors through the quickest route).

In-clinic devices such as clinical bags (cloud-based examination platform), digital stethoscopes, and telehealth patient examination kits are used for clinical and administrative functions.

IoMT Personalized Healthcare: The future ahead IoMT is transforming healthcare from exclusive to personalized, all-inclusive, and smart ecosystem. Yet, it is just the beginning. And we are only seeing initial applications which are futuristic, nonetheless. But according to the Fortune Business Insights predictions, in the next five years, the global IoMT market will grow to a whopping $352.88 billion by 2027. Thus, the real transformation is awaited.

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-Gaurav Wankhade

Bob Ryan Principal Healthcare Architecture

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T

he unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic put the whole healthcare sector under a tough test. It has become clearer that to handle such harsh situations, efficient and sturdy infrastructure is just as important as those who deliver healthcare services during times like this.

A dynamic and durable healthcare infrastructure will help the working staff to deliver their services more efficiently and with much more ease. By now, the world has realized that the COVID-19 pandemic is probably not the last one to surface, and to counter such a situation, a multi-dimensional healthcare facility is the need of the hour.

DIGroupArchitecture is one company, which designs facilities that deliver to almost all the healthcare needs.

Based out of New Hampshire, New Jersey, the company is spearheaded by Bob Ryan, the Principal of DIGroupArchitecture.

In the following interview, Bob tells us the story behind the origin of DIGroupArchitecture and how it has been efficiently designing architectural geniuses.

Please brief our audience about your company, its mission, and the key aspects of its stronghold within the healthcare architecture niche.

needs. This perspective spans planning for new construction as well as the reinvestment process within existing facilities. Our goal is to help our clients make astute and strategic decisions about their facilities. That is the foundation of our business and our passion. We approach every project, large or small, with the same passion and commitment to 'do whatever it takes' to help our clients assure the success of their projects.

What is your opinion on the impact of the current pandemic on the global healthcare architecture market, and what challenges did your company face during the initial phase of the pandemic?

This global pandemic continues to challenge the healthcare industry's providers and designers, to re-think the way we design and operate healthcare spaces. Clearly, we are all focused now more than ever on design aspects such as air filtration and antimicrobial finishes, but the challenge goes much further than that.

We need to be able to provide our clients with spaces that can 'flex' as needed to address the ever-changing demands from varying census to need for changeable negative pressure spaces, to telehealth, to reducing the density of staff within their daily environments.

DIGroupArchitecture is a Minority Business Enterprise and a Small Business Enterprise. We were formed in 2006 as a merger of four separate architectural firms specializing in the planning, programming, and design of both public and private spaces throughout New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Since our formation, we have delivered nearly $1 billion in construction value for our clients.

Tell us more about your services and solutions which make your company stand out from the competition?

As a proponent of high-performance design, we understand the unique challenges faced by today's healthcare leaders, as they are continually tasked with evolving to address changing norms, new technology, and the demand to provide quality care using fewer resources. The monumental impact that the current pandemic has had on business operations and the delivery of care has forced healthcare systems to change nearly all aspects of operations.

Each project must be considered for not only today's investment but the future life of the facility and its shifting

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One thing is certain, this current pandemic will not be the last time that the healthcare industry will be challenged with treating an unknown pathogen. We, as trusted advisors, must help our clients be prepared to react to the next threat quickly without forcing them into the same staff overload and economic strain that they faced with COVID-19 quickly.

With continuous development in technologies such as AI and big data, what is your prediction about the future of healthcare architecture?

As technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, and Big Data continue to develop at an accelerated rate, without question, technology will also continue to influence the operations of healthcare facilities. As facility architects, we need to challenge ourselves to develop new benchmarks for measuring the success of our design solutions. For example, as technology alters the traditional care delivery models and allows greater patient throughput, thereby reducing space needs, our designs should allow our clients to realize cost savings and adaptively reuse the resulting extra space without compromising positive outcomes.

As an established leader, what would be your advice to the budding entrepreneurs and enthusiasts aspiring to venture into the market?

For those considering entering the healthcare design market, be warned that healthcare design is not a market in which you can simply 'dabble' because it is seen as a means to increase revenue. The challenges of healthcare design are unique in that they demand a complete understanding of the specialized relationship of spaces, the efficient flow of both staff and patient, often times a high level of technical coordination, as well as the unique concerns and needs of the clinicians.

staff member and to assist in their career development.

Accordingly, we have never added staff to fill a temporary need or project load, but rather to run our studios 'lean' during those times and maintain a sustainable growth pattern and again, realize and reward the value of dedicated team members.

We will continue to respond to our client's needs regarding the services that we offer without compromising on our core strengths, and although our current strategic plan does not specifically call for us to add a specific service to our portfolio, we will continue to flex and grow with our clients and be their trusted advisors.

About the Leader Being able to seamlessly cross public and private sectors of the industry makes Bob able to more than fill his role as a Principal of DIGroupArchitecture. Skilled in all aspects of healthcare design, he can constructively manage and lead his support team through all phases of a project to an inspiring accomplishment of the established design objectives.

Bob has enjoyed more than 35 years of experience in the field of healthcare and life science design. He has been involved in countless intricate and custom projects; he has designed new buildings, the expansion, renovation, and alteration of hundreds of projects in the Tri-State Area.

These projects run the gamut of medical modalities, including acute care, ambulatory care, diagnostic imaging platforms, research facilities, laboratories, emergency departments, and surgical suites.

His in-depth ability to understand his client's methodologies and objectives, along with his personal communication and organizational skills, are key to the development of our continuous long-standing relationships with clients.

It requires a true passion, and it needs to excite you, knowing that you are making an impact on people's health.

Nowhere more than in healthcare environments can it be said with more certainty that good design truly does affect lives.

How do you envision scaling your company's operations and offerings in 2021?

Since its inception in 2006, DIGroupArchitecture has maintained a core principle to value the potential of every

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