Acute Care Thought Leaders

Jim has focused his 17-year architectural career exclusively on the design of healthcare facilities. His education includes a highly specialized Master of Architecture degree in Healthcare Facilities Planning and Design from Clemson University and he has studied abroad at the Daniel Center for European Study and Architectural Research in Genoa, Italy. As a registered architect, he has focused his career exclusively on the understanding and development of state-of the-art healthcare facilities which includes a specialization in Women's and Infant's healthcare environments. He is a speaker at both the National AIA Healthcare Design Conference and The Healthcare Facilities Symposium & Expo. Jim played an instrumental role in the award-winning design of the new "Hospital of the Future," Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi.

"This is an exciting time to be at the forefront of creating environments that promote health and well-being. The 'Healing Power of Place' has long been a misunderstood component of the healing process and arguably one of the most important. It is our privilege to help gather this growing body of evidence that links the physical environment to ones health. We are now able to deliberately use good design to alleviate stress and ultimately improve patient outcomes. I can not think of something nobler to be part of than improving the human condition."

With more than 45 years of professional experience and 29 years with HDR, Lynn's focus has been on healthcare architecture. Lynn's responsibilities have encompassed a variety of roles including 15 years as a member of the Board of Directors for HDR Architecture, and National Director of Healthcare for 12 years. He has served clients as a Design Principal, Project Manager, and Principal-in-Charge for major multi-disciplined, multi-firm healthcare and medical research projects.

Under Lynn's leadership, HDR was ranked the No. 1 leading healthcare architecture firm five times by Modern Healthcare magazine. He has led HDR teams for major healthcare projects across the United States and Canada, including his current focus, Public-Private-Partnership (P3) projects in Canada. Lynn changed the paradigm of HDR's healthcare design process in 1995 by starting HDR Consulting and "integrating" clinical healthcare professionals into the HDR healthcare architectural design teams. Lynn represented HDR in the nationally recognized and respected Healthcare Research and Development Institute from 1990-1997.

"Each design experience with thoughtful healthcare clients yields opportunity for innovation and creativity. Over time, as facilitators of translating our client's good ideas into new and better design solutions, we as individual professionals and as a firm attain a level of expertise and an obligation to give back and create good ideas for our clients."

Across his 15 years in healthcare, David has seen the evolution of delivery systems in both the hospital and ambulatory care settings from multiple perspectives.  He is the former Clinical Ethics Officer for a major U.S. health system, helped administer an NIH sponsored study of the implications of the Human Genome Project, studied healthcare practices as a student in Britain's National Health Service, managed clinical and non-clinical operations for a 350-bed tertiary care hospital, and planned and operated physician-lead outpatient facilities. David is an adjunct faculty member in the Nebraska Methodist College healthcare administration program and currently teaches a course on strategic management and health system planning through Johns Hopkins Medicine International at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. In his current role as Senior Healthcare Consultant at HDR, David hopes to help healthcare providers think differently about how they plan and deliver care.    

"Great design cannot be about the building alone. To be great, design must enhance changes in process, service, culture, technology and patient experience. Ultimately, it must transform the way healthcare is delivered."

Jason-Emery Groën is an award-winning and versatile senior architectural designer with over 14 years experience in the industry. Groën's enthusiastic style and creative manner has made him a strong team leader and advocate for design integrity within commissions in various international settings. His approach is to fully understand and engage each architectural challenge and to help clients, colleagues and all those associated with a project see the full potential of inherent opportunities. Each design solution strives to integrate with and respect its context while bringing innovation. His project work ranges from the detailed design of high-end modern furniture and fixtures at a small scale to the design of complex healthcare facilities and urban planning solutions. Actively participating in design juries and as Adjunct Faculty of the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Queen's University, Groën regularly lectures on contemporary topics in design.

"This is an opportunity to share experiences, learn from each other and develop a sound understanding of the context that will enable municipal, regional and national progression to a self-sustaining approach to improved healthcare delivery."

A highly respected, award-winning architect with broad design skills and talents, Jim is an industry leader in the design of children's healthcare facilities. Jim is the leader of an experienced team at HDR Architecture that recognizes the unique needs of this special patient population, and is dedicated to creating "healing spaces for little faces." A professional with 38 years as a creative designer and graphic artist, Jim is often a presenter in the field of pediatric healthcare design.

"There is something that feels different when you first enter a children's hospital. It is a contradiction. It is a dichotomy of purpose that needs to be intertwined. It is the serious nature of care provided by very dedicated staff juxtaposed with the need to nurture and encourage the whimsical side of the child. It is this challenge that drives me to design Children's Healthcare Facilities and create 'healing spaces for little faces'."

With more than 30 years of experience as a registered nurse in the healthcare industry, Cyndi brings a clinical and operational understanding to facility programming. LEAN certified and EDAC accredited, Cyndi is highly skilled in directing process improvement through work redesign, influencing and managing change, interacting with patients, staff and physicians, and building strong working relationships.

She is also the editor of a book, published in August 2009 by Sigma Theta Tau International, which addresses the rising prevalence of evidence-based design for healthcare environments. Titled, "Evidence-based Design for Healthcare Facilities," major topics of the book include aesthetics, healing environments, family-centered care, sustainability, benchmarking, transitions, efficiency and preparing for the future of healthcare.

" "Evidence-based Design for Healthcare Facilities' is the product of a successful collaboration of our experienced staff to produce a book that will be used by nurses, physicians, administrators and healthcare students nationwide as they redesign healthcare environments that improve health outcomes at a reduced cost of care to support the diverse needs of patients, families, and staff."

With a background that includes both the interior designer and client perspective, Barbara looks at the design process through the eyes of the patient. Her philosophy is to be empathic to the patient's experience while integrating the latest evidence-based design (EBD) research results with the interior design concept, making every project as unique as possible. As an industry leader, she is a participant on The Center for Health Design's EDAC advisory committee and Environmental Standards committee and was the first at HDR to receive EDAC accreditation. She is often a presenter in the field of EBD, especially in the Military Health System, a specialty that has evolved over the last five years.

"For me evidence-based design is the foundation of creating a healing environment. This research touches so many disciplines and I am thrilled to be able to interpret the latest research for our teams in ways that it can be used on a daily basis."