The Center for Health Design

The Center for Health Design Research: We help facilitate research on how the design of the built environment affects outcomes.

The Center for Health Design is a non-profit organization - through design research, education and advocacy we improve and maximize health, safety and wellness in environments where people live, work and heal. A major initiative is the Pebble Project, a unique and dynamic collaborative, where forward-thinking healthcare, design, and industry professionals learn, research, and share information with one another. Our website has more than 40 free research reports and whitepapers that link the built environment to outcomes and searchable databases of relevant research and project examples. Education: Our Evidence-based Design Accreditation & Certification (EDAC) program is an internationally recognized educational program that awards credentials to individuals who demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to apply an evidence-based process to plan and design healthcare facilities. With more than 1,200 certified individuals since its launch in 2009, EDAC is quickly becoming one of the healthcare design industry’s most important credentials. Each year, more than 4,000 individuals attend our annual Healthcare Design conference and 30,000 subscribe to Healthcare Design magazine (both produced by Vendome Group in association with CHD). Advocacy: We recognize and promote excellence in design and leadership through 5 award programs. By providing input into the Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, we are advocating for change in the building codes and standards. A partner in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, we are an active participant in a coalition of major health systems and organizations committed to improving sustainability and safety across the healthcare sector. Hundreds of individuals and organizations are engaged to support our work and help transform the industry through our affiliate membership program.

Every day, we help healthcare and design professionals, as well as product manufacturers, vendors, and educators, design...
02/26/2026

Every day, we help healthcare and design professionals, as well as product manufacturers, vendors, and educators, design and build safer and more efficient hospitals, clinics, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and wellness centers.

When you contribute to The Center for Health Design, you’ll fund research, education, and community efforts for those who are designing and building healthcare facilities in the U.S. and abroad, making them safer and healthier for all. Make a contribution to The Center and make a difference in the future of healthcare. Donate here: https://loom.ly/7kDZaqQ

Integrating an Evidence-Based Design (EBD) process with Lean methodology during a project’s planning, design and constru...
02/26/2026

Integrating an Evidence-Based Design (EBD) process with Lean methodology during a project’s planning, design and construction phases can yield a wide and unique range of health, safety, quality and business outcomes. Attend our 2026 PDC Summit Pre-Conference Workshop to hear The Center's Donna Deckard, Terri Zborowsky of HGA, Andrea Sponsel of HKS Architects and Jeff O'Neill of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital lead you through the EBD fundamentals of finding and applying relevant research, and leveraging Lean methods to identity and prioritize issues.

This interactive, full-day workshop will lead you through EBD fundamentals and show you how to measure and evaluate results, with attendees leaving at the end of the day with resources to apply Lean methods and the EBD process to their next project; light breakfast and lunch are included. Learn more and register at the link. https://loom.ly/CvFR_x8

Join us at the PDC Summit with the American Hospital Association and American Society for Health Care Engineering for an...
02/25/2026

Join us at the PDC Summit with the American Hospital Association and American Society for Health Care Engineering for an engaging panel discussion with some of The Center's Pediatric Environment Network (PEN) members Jill Sullivan and Jennifer Rodosta of Children's Health, Mezio Zangirolami, AIA, LEED AP of HGA and Fabio Delmestri of IOA Furniture.

The session will explore how built environments can continue to support the well-being of its occupants—even amid disruption. Through candid stories and lessons learned, panelists will highlight strategies, relationships, and design approaches that have proven resilient, as well as those that have fallen short. View session info here: https://loom.ly/xwktbMY

Effective and coordinated strategic and capital planning are essential to healthcare success—especially in today’s dynam...
02/25/2026

Effective and coordinated strategic and capital planning are essential to healthcare success—especially in today’s dynamic, high-pressure environment.

At the American College of Healthcare Executives 2026 Congress on Healthcare Leadership Conference, members of The Center for Health Design’s Built Environment Network (BEN)—Donna Deckard of The Center, Clayton Mitchell of Yale New Haven Health, Kevin Vos of Corewell Health, and Zachary Isbell of Emerus—will share best practices developed by health systems across the country for prioritizing, evaluating, and funding capital investments.

Together, they will discuss the realities of rising construction costs, limited capital, growing technology demands, and the ongoing tension between long-term strategy and essential infrastructure needs—highlighting why capital planning today requires a more strategic, systematic, and data-driven approach. Learn more: https://loom.ly/EmLQcy0

With industry news, current trends, field reports, and more, can help you take on the unique challenges facing the hea...
02/24/2026

With industry news, current trends, field reports, and more, can help you take on the unique challenges facing the health facility design, construction and operations communities. Get a free two-year digital subscription today: https://loom.ly/tc62m_4

Submitted by Flad Architects, the 16,000-square-foot UW Health Pleasant T. Rowland Transplant Clinic provides a new home...
02/24/2026

Submitted by Flad Architects, the 16,000-square-foot UW Health Pleasant T. Rowland Transplant Clinic provides a new home for UW Health’s world-class transplant center, helping to realize aspirational goals related to center expansion, comprehensive care delivery, and enhanced patient experience.

Approximately one year after opening in 2021, a robust POE was conducted. The racetrack clinic layout, with team support spaces centrally located in the core, enables collaboration and efficient workflow processes. The patient tracking boards located throughout the exam room corridor are integrated into the staff’s workflow process. Overall, the Clinic’s visit volumes have steadily increased since opening while upholding high patient satisfaction ratings.

Jurors noted this project was very detailed and an impressive commitment to sharing results made this a commendable and well-executed submission. Read more about the 2026 Gold Touchstone Award recipient here: https://loom.ly/JHAZraE

Scott Zeller, MD, has been named the 2026 Changemaker Award honoree for transforming crisis care environments through th...
02/24/2026

Scott Zeller, MD, has been named the 2026 Changemaker Award honoree for transforming crisis care environments through the creation of the EmPATH (Emergency, Psychiatric, Assessment, Treatment, and Healing) model. He will be recognized at The Center for Health Design’s Annual Award Ceremony during the 2026 PDC Summit in Houston, Texas.

As the creator of the EmPATH model and a tireless advocate for reimagining behavioral health spaces, Dr. Zeller has fundamentally altered how healthcare facilities approach psychiatric emergencies. With over 60 EmPATH units operating in the U.S. and more expected by 2029, his freely shared model demonstrates the impact of combining clinical innovation with evidence-based design to improve care for patients, families, and staff. Read more about Dr. Zeller in an extended profile here in the Spring 2026 edition of Health Facilities Management magazine: https://loom.ly/tfODAe4

In her latest HERD Journal editorial, The Center's VP for Research, Ellen Taylor, draws on Susan Sontag’s idea of “dual ...
02/23/2026

In her latest HERD Journal editorial, The Center's VP for Research, Ellen Taylor, draws on Susan Sontag’s idea of “dual citizenship” in the kingdom of the sick and the well, alongside Suleika Jaouad’s naming of the no man’s land between them. Health, she argues, is not a fixed end state but an evolving experience—one that built environments must be prepared to support.

The piece explores how terms like “healing environment” and evidence-based design have evolved—at times becoming oversimplified. While space alone cannot cause healing, design can reduce stress, restore control, and support the conditions that make healing more likely.

From ICUs to rehab, palliative and behavioral health settings, and even cancer care at home, healthcare environments increasingly reflect this in-between. The opportunity is to transform requirements, evidence, and empathy into spaces that support not just cure, but the full continuum of care. Read the article: https://loom.ly/Vy1-iaI

Strategic capital planning is essential to healthcare success. Join us at the PDC Summit with the American Hospital Asso...
02/23/2026

Strategic capital planning is essential to healthcare success. Join us at the PDC Summit with the American Hospital Association and the American Society for Health Care Engineering as members of The Center’s Built Environment Network (BEN)—Stephen Carbery of Carbery Facilities Solutions, LLC, Matthew Bode of Baptist Health, Susana Erpestad of HDR, and Clayton Mitchell of Yale New Haven Health—share metrics and benchmarks that reveal key differences across projects and offer practical ways to improve delivery speed, cost efficiency, and quality. This session qualifies for EDAC CEUs. View session information here: https://loom.ly/TF3lHMc

Submitted by EwingCole and CO Architects, City of Hope—a nationally renowned comprehensive cancer center—set out to crea...
02/20/2026

Submitted by EwingCole and CO Architects, City of Hope—a nationally renowned comprehensive cancer center—set out to create a transformative outpatient facility in Duarte, California. The campus was envisioned to unify services, streamline operations, and elevate the healing experience for patients, families, and staff.

Recognized as a top-five cancer hospital by U.S. News & World Report, City of Hope approached the project with a holistic vision: to design a patient-first environment that connects to the natural beauty of the San Gabriel Mountains while supporting the next generation of outpatient cancer care. Learn more about this Healthcare Environment Award project at the link. https://loom.ly/k-1Xmx4

Integrating an Evidence-Based Design (EBD) process with Lean methodology during a project’s planning, design and constru...
02/20/2026

Integrating an Evidence-Based Design (EBD) process with Lean methodology during a project’s planning, design and construction phases can yield a wide and unique range of health, safety, quality and business outcomes. Attend our 2026 PDC Summit Pre-Conference Workshop to hear The Center's Donna Deckard, Terri Zborowsky of HGA, Andrea Sponsel of HKS Architects and Jeff O'Neill of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital lead you through the EBD fundamentals of finding and applying relevant research, and leveraging Lean methods to identity and prioritize issues.

You will learn how and where to incorporate Lean and EBD during the various stages, how to build a business case linking design to health outcomes, and hear examples of how organizations have successfully integrated these processes. Learn more and register at the link. https://loom.ly/CvFR_x8

To meet the needs of a diverse behavioral health patient mix, CannonDesign's goal for Trinity Rock Island UnityPoint in ...
02/19/2026

To meet the needs of a diverse behavioral health patient mix, CannonDesign's goal for Trinity Rock Island UnityPoint in Rock Island, Illinois was to design a behavioral health setting within the emergency department (ED) that is non-institutional and calming for patients.

The space design was intended to be a place where peer counseling can occur with stable patients, along with simultaneous caregiver and family care. The intended project result was for patients to react more positively to treatment, report reduced negative outcomes, and aid in the care of one another. Read about the project located in our Behavioral and Mental Health Toolbox sponsored by Accurate Lock & Hardware Co., Altro Americas, architecture+, Whitehall Manufacturing and ModuForm, Inc here: https://loom.ly/P7yT99M

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Research: We help facilitate research on how the design of the built environment affects outcomes. A major initiative is the Pebble Project, a unique and dynamic collaborative, where forward-thinking healthcare, design, and industry professionals learn, research, and share information with one another. Our website has more than 40 free research reports and whitepapers that link the built environment to outcomes and searchable databases of relevant research and project examples. Education: Our Evidence-based Design Accreditation & Certification (EDAC) program is an internationally recognized educational program that awards credentials to individuals who demonstrate a thorough understanding of how to apply an evidence-based process to plan and design healthcare facilities. With more than 1,200 certified individuals since its launch in 2009, EDAC is quickly becoming one of the healthcare design industry’s most important credentials. Each year, more than 4,000 individuals attend our annual Healthcare Design conference and 30,000 subscribe to Healthcare Design magazine (both produced by Vendome Group in association with CHD). Advocacy: We recognize and promote excellence in design and leadership through 5 award programs. By providing input into the Guidelines for the Design and Construction of Health Care Facilities, we are advocating for change in the building codes and standards. A partner in the Healthier Hospitals Initiative, we are an active participant in a coalition of major health systems and organizations committed to improving sustainability and safety across the healthcare sector. Hundreds of individuals and organizations are engaged to support our work and help transform the industry through our affiliate membership program.