Transforming Healthcare Design Through Knowledge and Research
Explore 110+ sessions designed to tackle today’s biggest healthcare design challenges. From case studies to research-driven insights, the conference program delivers practical strategies, CE opportunities, and fresh ideas across topics like behavioral health, sustainability, technology, outpatient care, and more! To see everything happening at HCD Conference + Expo, click here.
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2026 Full Event Agenda (Conference pass required for sessions, Workshops and Tours sold separately)
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W01 – HOPD Designation: What It Really Means for Surgery Center Planning & Design
Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) designation can unlock strategic…Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) designation can unlock strategic, financial, and clinical advantages for health systems—but it also fundamentally reshapes how ambulatory surgery environments are planned, designed, and operated. This highly inte…Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) designation can unlock strategic, financial, and clinical advantages for health systems—but it also fundamentally reshapes how ambulatory surgery environments are planned, designed, and operated. This highly interactive 4-hour workshop goes beyond definitions to explore the real-world implications of HOPD and ASC designation across planning, design, operations, and revenue cycle. Participants will examine how…Hospital Outpatient Department (HOPD) designation can unlock strategic, financial, and clinical advantages for health systems—but it also fundamentally reshapes how ambulatory surgery environments are planned, designed, and operated. This highly interactive 4-hour workshop goes beyond definitions to explore the real-world implications of HOPD and ASC designation across planning, design, operations, and revenue cycle. Participants will examine how regulatory frameworks (FGI, NFPA 99/101, CMS provider-based rules) influence everything from occupancy classification and essential electrical systems to patient flow, sterile processing, and survey readiness. Through a guided, team-based scenario exercise, participants will apply concepts to determine whether an HOPD, or ASC model best aligns with defined clinical, financial, and community parameters. Groups will evaluate trade-offs, defend their decisions, and learn from peer perspectives. Participants will leave with a practical decision framework, project-start checklist, and peer-tested strategies to align capital investment, compliance, and throughput goals—while reducing redesign risk. Presented by the Nursing Institute of Healthcare DesignShow MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
T01 – The Robert J. and Debra H. Patrick Neuroscience Center
T02 – Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine
T03 – Thibodaux Regional Cancer Institute
IFHE Cocktail Reception
Date : October 17, 2026 Start Time: 6:00 PM End Time: 9:00 PM Maximum …Date : October 17, 2026 Start Time: 6:00 PM End Time: 9:00 PM Maximum allowed per registrant: 5 ticketsDate : October 17, 2026 Start Time: 6:00 PM End Time: 9:00 PM Maximum allowed per registrant: 5 ticketsDate : October 17, 2026 Start Time: 6:00 PM End Time: 9:00 PM Maximum allowed per registrant: 5 ticketsShow MoreClick the title to see all details
E01 – Beyond Conventional Construction: How Adaptable, Manufactured Systems Build Resilient, Future‑Ready
Healthcare delivery is rapidly evolving, yet many facilities remain co…Healthcare delivery is rapidly evolving, yet many facilities remain constrained by static interior construction that requires demolition to change. Advances in diagnostics, biotechnology, and clinical care demand adaptable environments, but projects …Healthcare delivery is rapidly evolving, yet many facilities remain constrained by static interior construction that requires demolition to change. Advances in diagnostics, biotechnology, and clinical care demand adaptable environments, but projects still default to deck-to-deck drywall assemblies rooted in outdated assumptions. This approach embeds avoidable disruption, downtime, infection-control risk (ICRA 2.0), and predictable obsolescence in…Healthcare delivery is rapidly evolving, yet many facilities remain constrained by static interior construction that requires demolition to change. Advances in diagnostics, biotechnology, and clinical care demand adaptable environments, but projects still default to deck-to-deck drywall assemblies rooted in outdated assumptions. This approach embeds avoidable disruption, downtime, infection-control risk (ICRA 2.0), and predictable obsolescence into patient care spaces. This session explores how healthcare organizations can mitigate these risks by transforming static facilities built using conventional drywall with adaptable, high-performance manufactured interior systems. Presented from owner, acoustician, GC, and prefab expert perspectives, the panel challenges long-held beliefs with real-world outcomes and acoustic data to demonstrate how these systems meet performance requirements while improving speed to market, reducing disruption, and protecting revenue.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E02 – Old and New: An Owner’s Perspective on Decarbonizing Healthcare Campuses
Healthcare organizations are increasingly recognizing that “first, do …Healthcare organizations are increasingly recognizing that “first, do no harm” extends beyond patient care to include the environmental impact of the campuses that support it. This creates growing tension between delivering high-quality care, reducin…Healthcare organizations are increasingly recognizing that “first, do no harm” extends beyond patient care to include the environmental impact of the campuses that support it. This creates growing tension between delivering high-quality care, reducing carbon emissions, and remaining fiscally responsible. This session brings together MD Anderson, WakeMed, and their engineering partners to share real-world drivers, strategies, and lessons learned f…Healthcare organizations are increasingly recognizing that “first, do no harm” extends beyond patient care to include the environmental impact of the campuses that support it. This creates growing tension between delivering high-quality care, reducing carbon emissions, and remaining fiscally responsible. This session brings together MD Anderson, WakeMed, and their engineering partners to share real-world drivers, strategies, and lessons learned from decarbonizing both new and existing healthcare campuses. Through contrasting case studies, presenters will examine how organizational goals, regulatory pressures, resiliency planning, and long-term operational needs shaped different decarbonization pathways. Topics include aligning decarbonization with mission and capital planning; evaluating all-electric versus hybrid systems; phasing upgrades in occupied facilities; and addressing grid reliability and operational impacts. The session emphasizes practical takeaways, highlighting what worked, what didn’t, and how early decisions influenced cost, constructability, and long-term performance without compromising patient care.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E03 – When Healthcare Scales Up: Designing Without Erasing Place And Community
As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks,…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session exa…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session examines how healthcare design can mediate this tension—supporting operational consistency at scale while reinforcing a hospital’s enduring relationship with its community. The South Tower at Geisinger’s…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session examines how healthcare design can mediate this tension—supporting operational consistency at scale while reinforcing a hospital’s enduring relationship with its community. The South Tower at Geisinger’s Danville campus serves as a case study in embedding community values within a consolidated system context. Developed during Geisinger’s merger with Kaiser Permanente to form Risant Health, the project demonstrates how planning, architecture, interior design, and landscape can collectively express local identity while meeting contemporary clinical and operational requirements. Design strategies include a shift to single-patient rooms, emergency department planning informed by regional care patterns, and a patient experience framework rooted in familiarity and place. Interior environments incorporate local and regional landscape references, community imagery, archival photography, and curated artifacts reflecting the institution’s history. The landscape design extends this narrative through healing gardens that integrate salvaged architectural relics from former campus buildings. This session offers attendees practical insights into designing healthcare environments that balance system-level integration with community-specific expression—ensuring hospitals remain recognizable, trusted, and meaningful to the communities they serve amid ongoing consolidationShow MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E04 – From Big Box to Better Care: Adaptive Reuse as a Healthcare Strategy
What do an abandoned hospital, a Western store, a 1970s Safeway turned…What do an abandoned hospital, a Western store, a 1970s Safeway turned Rite-Aid, and a Chuck-E-Cheese have in common? Today, they all provide state-of-the-art patient care. This session highlights Ochsner Health’s commitment to adaptive reuse in nort…What do an abandoned hospital, a Western store, a 1970s Safeway turned Rite-Aid, and a Chuck-E-Cheese have in common? Today, they all provide state-of-the-art patient care. This session highlights Ochsner Health’s commitment to adaptive reuse in north Louisiana, where transforming existing buildings into healthcare clinics has become a strategic approach to expanding access. Rather than building new, Ochsner identifies underutilized structures in…What do an abandoned hospital, a Western store, a 1970s Safeway turned Rite-Aid, and a Chuck-E-Cheese have in common? Today, they all provide state-of-the-art patient care. This session highlights Ochsner Health’s commitment to adaptive reuse in north Louisiana, where transforming existing buildings into healthcare clinics has become a strategic approach to expanding access. Rather than building new, Ochsner identifies underutilized structures in established communities, bringing care closer to patients while reinvesting in neighborhoods that need it most. But adaptive reuse for healthcare isn’t just about saving money or accelerating timelines. It’s about seeing potential where others see blight and recognizing that a building’s past life doesn’t limit its future. From a million-square-foot former hospital to a 25,000-square-foot retail conversion, each project presents unique design challenges that require flexibility, creativity, and close collaboration with operations. Attendees will explore how adaptive reuse can serve as both a financial strategy and a community investment. Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E05 – Bringing the Bespoke to Hub-and-Spoke – Reinventing the Pediatric Multi-Location Strategy
Decentralizing healthcare through a multi-location strategy is often m…Decentralizing healthcare through a multi-location strategy is often more opportunistic than strategic. As systems expand, leaders must protect brand integrity, deliver consistent care, and create a cohesive experience across sites ranging from quate…Decentralizing healthcare through a multi-location strategy is often more opportunistic than strategic. As systems expand, leaders must protect brand integrity, deliver consistent care, and create a cohesive experience across sites ranging from quaternary to primary care. What services belong close to home, and what should remain centralized? Which service lines should deepen locally versus extend into the community? How do site decisions strengt…Decentralizing healthcare through a multi-location strategy is often more opportunistic than strategic. As systems expand, leaders must protect brand integrity, deliver consistent care, and create a cohesive experience across sites ranging from quaternary to primary care. What services belong close to home, and what should remain centralized? Which service lines should deepen locally versus extend into the community? How do site decisions strengthen—rather than dilute—the system? This session presents a multi-location strategy using a case study from the Cincinnati Children’s health system. Learn how adaptive interior and exterior design and material guidelines that support brand awareness, cost-effective decision-making, patient safety, and long-term performance. The session examines a calibrated approach that distinguishes code-minimum requirements from best practices, avoiding overdesign while delivering appropriate solutions. Learn how strategic planning, growth-in-place, telehealth, and real estate planning—including acquisition, disposition, and portfolio management—combine to deliver a full spectrum of pediatric care.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E06 – Building the Future of Patient Care: Collaborative Strategies for Complex Healthcare Renovations
This session examines the renovation of two vacant behavioral health f…This session examines the renovation of two vacant behavioral health floors totaling 14,600 square feet in the Wright Saunders Building at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Faced with an aggressive schedule and significant infrastructure constraints,…This session examines the renovation of two vacant behavioral health floors totaling 14,600 square feet in the Wright Saunders Building at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Faced with an aggressive schedule and significant infrastructure constraints, the project team adopted a highly collaborative, human‑centered design approach to transform outdated spaces into modern medical‑surgical units that support patient experience, staff efficiency, and …This session examines the renovation of two vacant behavioral health floors totaling 14,600 square feet in the Wright Saunders Building at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Faced with an aggressive schedule and significant infrastructure constraints, the project team adopted a highly collaborative, human‑centered design approach to transform outdated spaces into modern medical‑surgical units that support patient experience, staff efficiency, and care delivery. Originally envisioned as a traditional renovation, the project evolved to integrate smart patient room technologies based on insights from multidisciplinary stakeholder engagement. Speakers will discuss how design and planning decisions informed the integration of digital care boards, outside‑the‑door displays, automated lighting, nurse call systems, and building automation—while addressing implications for room layout, visibility, coordination, and workflow. The session will highlight key design and delivery challenges, including added scope and extended lead times for critical infrastructure such as a new air handling unit and multiple automatic transfer switches. Presenters will share how early release packages, prefabrication, and real‑time collaboration enabled design alignment and schedule continuity under supply‑chain pressure. Attendees will gain actionable design strategies for applying human‑centered principles to fast‑tracked healthcare renovations, balancing technology integration, infrastructure reliability, and patient‑centered outcomes in complex clinical environments.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
E07 – Feasibility of Net Zero in Medical Outpatient Facilities
With its demanding program and complex regulations, healthcare is one …With its demanding program and complex regulations, healthcare is one of the most challenging typologies to achieve net zero energy performance. While many institutions have committed to carbon neutrality, it can be challenging to reconcile growing p…With its demanding program and complex regulations, healthcare is one of the most challenging typologies to achieve net zero energy performance. While many institutions have committed to carbon neutrality, it can be challenging to reconcile growing patient needs with emissions reductions and economic paybacks. Outpatient facilities represent a particular opportunity to meet net zero energy, given unique factors related to building and site progra…With its demanding program and complex regulations, healthcare is one of the most challenging typologies to achieve net zero energy performance. While many institutions have committed to carbon neutrality, it can be challenging to reconcile growing patient needs with emissions reductions and economic paybacks. Outpatient facilities represent a particular opportunity to meet net zero energy, given unique factors related to building and site program and size. Based on a year-long research study, this session presents an integrated design team approach to identifying cost effective pathways to net zero energy or net zero carbon performance in medical office buildings. The study examines a range of energy efficiency strategies, including electrification, decoupled radiant conditioning, and onsite and offsite renewable systems, and strategies to reduce embodied carbon emissions associated with materiality from site development, structure, architecture, interior and mechanical systems. Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
Join us Oct. 17-20, 2026, in New Orleans for the ultimate healthcare design education, networking, and product-sourcing event!