As leaders in the health care field, ASHE members and Health Facilities Management readers are charged with providing safe, healing environments for the patients we serve — a task becoming increasingly challenging as America’s health care infrastructure ages and care delivery models rapidly change.
Given the amount of time we all invest in our health care facilities, it is crucial that we find smarter ways to do so — ways that are flexible, more efficient and that will help our organizations meet our stated goals that are so important for us to achieve.
It is crucial for us to understand the buildings and facilities we are responsible for, of course, but we must also understand critical factors such as population health, retail providers and other shifts that may affect our operations, budgets and resources. A key opportunity to learn about and discuss these important issues is the upcoming International Summit & Technical Exhibition on Health Care Facility Planning, Design & Construction, better known as the PDC Summit. It will be held March 25-28 in Nashville, Tenn.
The PDC Summit brings together architects, engineers, constructors, facility managers and hospital owners to learn, network and discuss the future of health care. The keynote speaker this year is especially relevant. Steven Johnson, author and host of the PBS series, “How We Got To Now,” will be speaking about how to make creative decisions in an uncertain world.
Other sessions will be focused on construction and renovation; the patient experience; behavioral health; population health; regulation and compliance; safety and quality; and the FGI Guidelines.
Together, the sessions at the PDC Summit will provide learning opportunities for all groups within health care — facilities staff or senior leadership, associate members as well as students targeting health care careers — and will provide the information and inspiration they need to help address challenges at all levels, now and into the future.
I encourage you to attend the PDC Summit to take part in the exciting and constantly evolving discussions we will have about our health care field. I look forward to seeing you there!
Bradley R. Taylor, MBA, CHFM
ASHE President
