Healthcare demand is higher today than ever before, driven by chronic disease growth, aging populations and an uptick in life-altering medical advancements. As a result, hospitals and clinics are bursting at the seams – but the general public already knows this if they’ve recently tried to make a doctor’s appointment. This trend won’t end soon as projections through 2050 show demand will only increase, and as if things couldn’t get more challenging, the industry is dealing with federal and state healthcare reforms that threaten reimbursement for services.
This is why it’s crucial that with the limited capital dollars health systems have available, hospitals and patient-care facilities are strategically evaluated and designed for the future.
The solution? Strategic design.
Strategic design is the intersection of strategy, architecture and data to create future-ready facilities. This approach meets both today’s needs and tomorrow’s demands.
The Power of Partnership: Where Strategy Meets Design
Strategic design is, at its core, a collaborative process. It bridges the disciplines of strategists and architects to produce healthcare environments that are efficient, adaptable and aligned with a system’s mission. Together, the pair bring their unique perspective for a thoughtful and effective approach to problem-solving.
When strategists and architects work together, they can test ideas against real-world conditions. For instance, strategic planning models may demonstrate the need for additional operating rooms on campus; the architects can take these inputs and develop a range of facility options available to the health system from greenfield development to renovation of existing units. By stress-testing scenarios, healthcare leaders gain clarity on the benefits and drawbacks of each investment decision.
This partnership ensures clients are provided with data-driven, flexible solutions that evolve as conditions change, resulting in more resilient, cost-effective facility plans.
Data Drives Smarter Planning
To successfully engage in strategic design, data is a key factor. Data uncovers how facilities function today and sets the stage for how they must adapt for the future.
But data alone isn’t enough. It must be interpreted with context and expertise. This includes performing a detailed validation of all clinical and financial information provided, to eliminate pesky data issues such as duplicate records and missing fields. Planners should keep in mind that many information systems in healthcare (e.g., EMR, billing, imaging) were built with an operational purpose in mind, and that purpose was not capital planning.
In addition, steer clear of taking numbers at face value. A hospital may appear to be operating at full capacity based on bed counts, but closer examination might reveal uneven utilization across departments.
A strategic design team helps health systems transform raw data into actionable insight by fact-checking sources, identifying errors and translating trends into facility requirements. This ensures important capital decisions are made with confidence, not assumptions.
Internal and External Data Drivers
To design holistic facilities, health systems must consider both internal and external data drivers.
Internal data focuses on what’s happening inside a health system or hospital facility, such as billing systems, medical records, patient surveys and wait times. These insights can reveal which assets are being over and underutilized, where the friction points occur in a patient’s journey, or even highlight areas of unexpected demand.
Conversely, external data provides vital context. Demographics, care trends, population growth and market competition all influence health system strategy. Infusion services, for example, are expected to grow 40% over the next 10 years, which may signal a need to expand sites of care to meet the needs of the population.
By balancing both perspectives, health systems can right-size their facilities to ensure they’re neither overbuilt nor underprepared.
Measuring Impact and Staying Agile
The impact of strategic design doesn’t end when construction is complete. Post-occupancy evaluations – including provider and staff interviews, patient feedback and performance outcomes – are essential to measure whether a facility meets its original goals.
These assessments not only confirm what’s working but also identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Facilities designed through a strategic lens are built to evolve; they can adapt to new technologies, shift patient demographics and change care delivery models without costly overhauls.
Healthcare leaders should regularly refresh their data sets and revisit planning assumptions to maintain agility. Predictive analytics, scenario modeling and even AI-driven forecasting can help them anticipate demand shifts before they occur – strengthening resilience and readiness across operations.
Looking Ahead: Designing for the Next Decade
The healthcare landscape is changing rapidly and the growth trajectory will continue to place unprecedented demands on infrastructure.
Strategic design empowers healthcare leaders to plan with foresight rather than react to circumstances. By combining robust data analysis with architectural and operational expertise, organizations can design facilities that enhance care delivery, empower providers, strengthen their communities and remain sustainable for decades to come. When strategy and design work hand in hand, health systems achieve operational excellence while staying true to their core mission – delivering exceptional care to every patient, every day.
Tim Patmont
Tim Patmont serves as Head of Strategy and Finance, Healthcare Advisory at SJ, a global consulting firm specializing in urban development, infrastructure and integrated solutions. With more than15 years of experience in strategic planning, consulting and finance, Tim has successfully led high-impact healthcare facility expansions and guided organizations on strategic initiatives that drive long-term growth and operational excellence. He can be contacted at [email protected].
