Derek Parker Receives 2012 Changemaker Award

Given annually, the award honors individuals or organizations that have demonstrated exceptional ability to change the way healthcare facilities are designed and built, and whose work has broad impact on the advancement of healthcare design.

Parker, is an internationally recognized expert in the design of healthcare and research facilities, having designed and planned more than 50 major hospitals and bio-medical facilities in 15 countries. He has received more than 75 awards for his work and published numerous papers and given many presentations on healthcare design worldwide.

Derek is currently a board member and vice-chair for the Laguna Honda Hospital; a board member for Marin General Hospital; co-founder and chair for The Medicapower Corporation; senior advisor for Aditazz; and a member of the Scientific Committee for the International Academy of Design and Health in Stockholm. He is also a founding editorial board member for Health Environments Research and Design journal; past board member of The National Academy of Engineering (2002-2008); and a fellow at the American Institute of Architects, American Academy of Healthcare Architects, and the Royal Institute of British Architects.

A co-founder of The Center for Health Design, Derek helped bring evidence-based design into the mainstream by co-developing The Center’s Pebble Project research initiative and creating the research-based Fable Hospital concept that supports the business case for better buildings.

Parker believes the healthcare design industry is ripe for major change. “The process of building design has been very slow. It takes about two or three years to design a hospital and about three years to build the structure, during which time, life changes. So by the time you open the doors, the building is already six years old,” said Parker.

“What I’m working on now is a technology where we can design, build, and operate a hospital virtually, until we get it right, and then we manufacture it.” Parker said this new technology will improve the clinical, financial, and satisfaction outcomes in facilities.”

“We expect to produce hospitals 30% faster, 10% less expensively, and with operational costs 10% less over time,” Parker said. He continued to say that virtual simulations will lead to the design of new hospitals, as well as renovations of existing facilities that are more efficient and adapt more easily to unpredictable outcomes. “When the technology changes, you have to change or you’ll die,” Parker said.

Parker accepted the Changemaker Award at the 2012 HEALTHCARE DESIGN Conference, in Phoenix, AZ, where he was also a keynote speaker.