As someone who has attended the HEALTHCARE DESIGN Conference for years, I am always impressed by the quality of its educational workshops and clinics.

This will be my third year participating in the “Practice EBD Clinic” and I look forward to it every year as one of the most interactive, engaging experiences at the conference.

Part of the appeal is that the event is an opportunity for ideas about research to be translated into practice, as participants bring their “in the trenches” questions to discuss with the EBD experts. 

Translational research is defined as research that can be readily applied to the population that is being studied. Design research is a stellar example of translational research when it is formulated to address or generate design goals.

With a growing involvement of researchers in professional practice and an increasing frequency of participation of practitioners in research studies, there is a need to bridge what was previously a significant gap between the lab and the design studio. 

The Practice EBD Clinic is ideal for promoting translational research and building the bridge between research and design. At the workshop, attendees meet with EBD industry experts and these coaches work one-on-one to translate evidence-based design concepts into practice. 

To best address each participant's needs, attendees complete a questionnaire that provides a project overview and any current or future needs. A coach is then selected who best fits the project, prior to the clinic.

Past attendees who received this individualized, expert coaching have told us how valuable the clinic is, providing them the opportunity to meet and network with many in the industry and the chance to understand how to use their EDAC credential and apply EBD to current and future projects. 

Watch past attendees here describe their clinic experience. Register for HEALTHCARE DESIGN.12 and the Practice EBD Clinic.

Mardelle Shepley, B.A., M.Arch, M.A., D.Arch, FAIA, ACHA, EDAC, LEED AP, is a professor and director of the Center for Health Systems & Design at Texas A&M University. A registered architect with 25 years of experience in professional practice, she is founder of ART+Science, a design research firm. Mardelle has conducted research and published extensively on the topic of pediatric facility design. Her books include Healthcare Environments for Children and their Families, Design for Critical Care, and Health Facility Evaluation for Design Practitioners. A specialist in building evaluation and programming, she is the William Peña endowed professor at the College of Architecture at Texas A&M. Mardelle serves on The Center for Health Design’s Research Coalition.