As Republican presidential hopefuls square off in primaries across the U.S., a lot of talk is on how much money candidates are spending to position themselves as the most attractive. The longer the primary process stretches on, the more resources are needed. Political pundits note that candidate “super PACs” bring in millions a month yet can spend… [Read more…]
February 20, 2012
I follow less and less of ‘who’s hot’ as far as architectural design goes these days, probably because I am far more immersed in the specific market sector of healthcare. Also, I appreciate good design yet rarely see a project that, to me, evokes the future—what buildings might look like in 20 or 50 years. In… [Read more…]
February 17, 2012
A couple weeks ago I met with a Vice President of Operations at a medical center in a town of about 20,000. We were discussing recent project history and she noted with pride that her hospital has been using the same architecture firm that built the hospital over 45 years ago. In this day and age, it is… [Read more…]
February 15, 2012
In December’s Architect, an article on Crisis Response Centers caught my eye. The renderings and photos were bright, the designs cool and, of course, it was about healthcare. The general theme was cost containment in light of buildings that need to last in a healthcare environment. A couple paragraphs into the story was the first quote… [Read more…]
February 13, 2012
Rework is almost a four-letter word in design-build. Rework is when work is put in place on a job and needs to be redone. This can mean tearing out and completely redoing, or going back to further and more accurately correct work to an acceptable level. Rework is one of the most insidious causes of… [Read more…]
February 10, 2012
Energy modeling is a tool growing in use to assist in both building design and operations—especially in buildings where energy costs are high, such as a hospital. Green Source had an article a couple months ago noting the importance of occupant behavior in energy modeling. In particular, it noted how occupant behavior is often not accurately… [Read more…]
February 8, 2012
In 2008, Southwest Airlines was turning a profit while its competitors were sucking wind. Unlike its competitors, Southwest gained tremendous momentum instead of raising prices, instituting new fees and looking to consolidate merely to survive. How did they do it? Southwest reaped the benefits of some shrewd disaster planning during their boom years. In the prior decade, Southwest invested millions in… [Read more…]
February 3, 2012
Imagine your hospital has a department that is absolutely maxed out, say imaging. Your PET and CT are taxed, and your MRI is running all day. Patients are backed up with a wait. You are turning patients away, sending them across town to a strip center MRI you do not own. Worse, the patient volume does not appear to be… [Read more…]
February 1, 2012
We know the confirmation of germ theory in the late 1800s led to a design revolution of the interior healthcare environment. For instance, Victorian Era hold-overs like wood floors and drapes were out, in favor of hard, less porous surfaces like porcelains, ceramics, and stainless steel. Easy-to-clean and disinfect was favored, which led to more curves… [Read more…]
January 30, 2012
Waste is a personal pet peeve of mine, so when I recently read Fast Company’s article “The $70 Billion Scam” my jaw hit the floor. Then I fumed. In light of the upcoming primary election (Florida’s is tomorrow), I reflected on the past few years of politics. So much energy has been put into healthcare reform, even before… [Read more…]
February 22, 2012
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