Healthcare Design - October 2020 - 9

EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD

Hank Adams

EQUAL FOOTING
COVID-19 has exacerbated existing health
disparities. It's time to ask how design can help
By Jennifer Kovacs Silvis

Wayne Barger
Carolyn BaRoss
Sam Burnette

HDR

SMITHGROUP

PERKINS AND WILL

EARL SWENSSON ASSOCIATES

Sheila F. Cahnman
JUMPGARDEN CONSULTING LLC

Thomas W. Chessum

CO ARCHITECTS

James Crispino
AS THE COVID-19 pandemic has swept across the

U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
says there's increasing evidence that populations
already vulnerable due to pre-existing health and
social inequities have been hit the hardest, particularly racial and ethnic minority groups. "Inequities
in the social determinants of health, such as poverty
and healthcare access, affecting these groups are interrelated and inﬂuence a wide range of health and
quality-of-life outcomes and risks," the CDC states.
The result, according to the CDC, is that areas
where these inequities exist have seen not only more COVID-19 cases but
more hospitalizations and deaths. To address this issue, the organization urges
community- and faith-based groups, employers, healthcare providers, policy
makers-essentially, all of us-to step up and work together to ensure we all
have the resources necessary to combat the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, an effort by the American Medical Association (AMA) encourages organizations that are doing just that to share their initiatives. Some of the
endeavors proﬁled on the AMA's website include how Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tenn., is creating COVID-19 care sites and expanding testing
capabilities via mobile solutions. The Black Arizona COVID-19 Task Force is
rolling out several phases of a plan that provides testing and mental health services, supports small businesses, and addresses food insecurity.
These are just a couple examples, but they show what can and should be happening everywhere, as we continue to see COVID-19 exacerbated by societal
stressors. But what role can design play? It was one topic explored in a mini
charrette exercise we conducted in September, an effort to allow our Healthcare Design Editorial Advisory Board the opportunity to dig into some of the
most pressing issues that have emerged during this crisis in a day-long virtual
event (watch for coverage in the November issue).
Similar to the initiatives above, the small group assigned to exploring the
topic of health inequity thought deeply on the role of community and social
determinants of health. They discussed the complexity of the issue that stems
well beyond care delivery, specifically, to identify a built environment solution that considers health more comprehensively. Characteristics of what that
might look like include ease of access, outdoor spaces, the reuse of existing
community buildings, engagement of users, technology and telehealth infrastructure, ﬂexibility and adaptability, and safe and secure surroundings.
They also recognized that a lot of what's necessary is beyond the power of
what designers can do-with an important distinction: "We can contribute,"
said group member Karl Sonnenberg of ZGF.
It's important for us all to ponder the role of the design and building community in what is, hopefully, just the beginning of a systemic course correction. a

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

TR INITY HEALTH

Bryan Langlands
Tiana Lemons

ORCUTT/WINSLOW

Michael Lied

GBBN ARCHITECTS

Mike McKay
Victoria Navarro

NBBJ

UW HEALTH

ADVOCATE AURORA HEALTH

Kurt Neubek
Don Orndoff

Diane R.K. Osan
Chris Powers

PAGE

KAISER PERMANENTE
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

G RESHAM SMITH

Jeffrey C. Stouffer

HKS INC.

Paul E. Strohm
Jocelyn Stroupe

Melanie Taylor
Joshua A. Theodore
Anthony Treu

HOK

CANNONDESIGN
BOLDT
LEO A DALY

SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL

Travis Tyson
Gary L. Vance

CLEVELAND CLINIC
VANCE CONSULTING

OCTOBER 2020

Healthcare Design - October 2020

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