The healthcare design process includes the ability to improve performance across several metrics, and that can increasingly include improvements toward better health outcomes among underserved demographic groups. The US is home to stark and persistent racial disparities in health coverage, chronic health conditions, mental health, and mortality.* Apart from racial and ethnic disparities, other populations, including the disabled, LGBTQ, and those of lower socioeconomic status, experience inequalities in the system.

This webinar will address how we as programmers, designers, and planners can influence inclusive healthcare environment that serves everyone. If health disparities are to be addressed holistically and universally, then healthcare design will be an important component of that shift. For clients that are serving underserved regions, whether with the construction of new facilities or the renovation of existing buildings on campus, we owe it to all shareholders to understand the issues of inclusive architecture, and to help them set, reach and exceed goals for meeting the needs of patients and families that traditionally do not have their healthcare needs met.

Community involvement pays dividends both in the robustness and the acceptance of major architectural projects. Representation matters, but real substantive participation matters more. As designers, we need to reach beyond the traditional models for diversified contributions and seek out broader coalitions. This may be out of the comfort zone of everyone involved, but by looking to new social constructs and borrowing social frameworks from other disciplines, we can embrace a different direction.