Healthcare Design - September 2020 - 7

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Hank Adams

H E A L T H C A R E AT H O M E

Owners are considering remote work and the space
benefits that come with it By Jennifer Kovacs Silvis

Wayne Barger
Carolyn BaRoss
Sam Burnette

PERKINS AND WILL

EARL SWENSSON ASSOCIATES

Sheila F. Cahnman
JUMPGARDEN CONSULTING LLC

Thomas W. Chessum
WE'RE ALL continuing to adjust our lives in response
to COVID-19, making incremental changes to resume some sense of normalcy during a time that's
anything but normal. And it's important to look for
silver linings, wherever they might be. For me, one is
that I already worked remotely. I've been based out
of my home office in Cleveland for several years, so
simply having a dedicated space with all the supplies
and equipment I need to function is a small win.
But as workers across the country and world are
now similarly settled into work from home (WFH)
life, they-and their employers-are finding a bright side to the approach, as
well. Companies have begun extending WFH policies through the end of the
year, some even permanently.
It's a trend that's extended into healthcare, as well, as shared in our June 26
webinar "COVID-19 Lessons Learned: The Owner's Perspective." We heard
from panelists on how previously unheard-of WFH policies for healthcare
employees are now coming to be embraced.
Natalie Miovski Hagerty, senior director, facilities planning and design, at
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP), said her organization has begun
surveying staffers on how the transition to WFH is going, asking about preference, effects on productivity, etc. "We're hearing repeatedly, both from employees and leaders: 'This working from home is not a bad thing at all; in fact,
I prefer it.'"
For starters, Hagerty says, the move is supporting desires for more control
over flexibility and work/life balance, especially as staffers continue to face
a lack of childcare. But there's another critical silver lining for the healthcare design industry, specifically-more space. Hagerty says CHOP is working with its internal teams to better understand if a push toward WFH might
mean the organization can downsize its offices and pick up ever-valuable
square footage. "During a time where we're all under financial burden, based
on the sheer swing in volumes, we need to look everywhere. And quite frankly, I'm convinced that this WFH could really become a win-win."
Fellow webinar panelist Travis Tyson, director of architecture and planning at Cleveland Clinic, echoed Hagerty's message, saying that Cleveland
Clinic is similarly working to assess how the success of WFH might impact
the organization's footprint and operational needs. An interesting realization in the process is tied to the administrative space designed into clinical
areas and patient floors-spaces once thought of as required and, now, perhaps not. "That's where we're looking to gain clinical space or physically distance the physicians and nurses on those floors, in order to get back to full
service," Tyson said.
While all of this remains a work in progress, the COVID-19 crisis is certainly shifting thinking about the healthcare workplace, presenting a real opportunity to gain both square footage and staff satisfaction. 

HDR

SMITHGROUP

CO ARCHITECTS

James Crispino
GENSLER

Christine Hester Devens
Mary Frazier

AECOM

EWINGCOLE

Jocelyn Lum Frederick
HC TANGRAM DESIGN

Catherine L. Gow

FRANCIS CAUFFMAN

Natalie Miovski Hagerty
THE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF PHILADELPHIA

Erik Hanson

STANTEC ARCHITECTURE

Suzen L. Heeley
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER

Scott Holmes
Walter Jones
Randy Keiser

BWBR

METROHEALTH SYSTEM

TURNER CONSTRUCTION CO.

Julie Kent

TRINITY HEALTH

Bryan Langlands
Tiana Lemons
Michael Lied

GBBN ARCHITECTS

Mike McKay
Victoria Navarro

NBBJ

ORCUTT/WINSLOW

UW HEALTH

ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH

Kurt Neubek
Don Orndoff

KAISER PERMANENTE

Diane R.K. Osan
Chris Powers

PAGE

CANNONDESIGN

BURNS & MCDONNELL

William D. Repichowskyj
E4H ARCHITECTURE

Kim Shinn
TLC ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS

Janet H. Sisolak
UT MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER

Karl R. Sonnenberg
ZIMMER GUNSUL FRASCA ARCHITECTS LLP

Kurt Spiering
Steve Stokes

HGA

GRESHAM SMITH

Jeffrey C. Stouffer

HKS INC.

Paul E. Strohm
Jocelyn Stroupe

CANNONDESIGN

Melanie Taylor
Joshua A. Theodore
Anthony Treu

HOK

BOLDT
LEO A DALY

SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL

Travis Tyson
Gary L. Vance

CLEVELAND CLINIC
VANCE CONSULTING

SEPTEMBER 2020

Healthcare Design - September 2020

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