A recent survey, conducted by Mortenson Construction at our HEALTHCARE DESIGN conference last year in November, provided very informative reading and gave a snapshot of how healthcare architects, providers, vendors, and those in construction are feeling about the healthcare industry as a whole.

With more than 300 professionals interviewed, the responses varied but the topics focused on:

  • Becoming more Lean;
  • Gaining flexibility and efficiency;
  • Staying competitive;
  • Improving experience;
  • Assessing evidence-based design;
  • Playing as a team;
  • Project delivery trends;
  • Government program concerns; and
  • Optimism for the future.

A large number of healthcare provider respondents agreed that evidence-based design increases healthcare quality, safety, and outcomes. This was also the opinion of 83% of the surveyed architects according to the study.

Healthcare architects were strongly in favor of LEED, pointing out that it provides a way to cut down on waste and energy use. However there were also some respondents who felt that LEED is, at best, a catchphrase with no significant benefit.

With healthcare reform looming, views on its effectiveness and what changes it may bring were mostly positive but there are some, according to the survey, who feel that obtaining healthcare insurance should be left only to consumers and not to the government. The results also shed light on how healthcare providers feel the fiscal landscape will be affected should healthcare reform come to pass.

As debate continues on which method of build is best, the newcomer on the scene is Integrated Project Delivery (IPD). A blog written by Jennifer Kovacs Silvis, Editor-in-Chief, Healthcare Building Ideas, spurred a rousing discussion on our LinkedIn page about the different forms of project delivery that are available and certainly showed that professionals in the design and construction fields are not ready yet to fully embrace IPD’s standards. According to the survey, the results among architects when asked about delivery method preference within healthcare were as follows:

  • IPD: 83%
  • Design Build: 72%
  • CM at Risk: 44%
  • DBB: 32%

There does seem to be an optimistic view of things to come in the industry. Only 9% of those who participated in the survey feel “pessimistic’ about the future of healthcare in America. Do you feel the same?

Let us know what you think.