17, Part 1, Amy Mays

17, Part 1, Amy Mays

Author: Porcelanosa August 9, 2019 Duration: 23:27

My guest today is Amy Mays, Interior Design Practice Leader at HDR's New York, New York architecture studio. "There are kiosk check-ins and wait time calculators so members are constantly informed," says Amy about the changing face of waiting rooms at Kaiser Permanente. She draws an analogy between a patient waiting for their appointment and a passenger on an airplane. When there is zero communication from the pilot, the passenger begins to worry and anxiety increases. You can easily see the parallel with waiting rooms. 

Learn more about Amy Mays and HDR by visiting: https://www.hdrinc.com. Find HDR on Instagram by searching for @hdr_inc,  on Twitter @hdrarchitecture and on LinkedIn by searching for Health at HDR.

Thank you to our industry partners:

  • The Center For Health Design
  • The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design

Learn more about how the Center for Health Design can support your firm by visiting: http://healthdesign.org.

Connect to a community of clinicians and others interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/.

And to the American Association of Healthcare Interior Designers, thank you for your support of this program. Enhance your professional credibility by earning the Certified Healthcare Interior Design credential. Visit http://AAHID.org for more info.

In part 1 of the episode you will learn:

  • What is special and different about one of HDR's latest projects at Hartford Hospital Bone and Marrow Institute and what designers can learn from this innovative project about the future of healthcare design.
  • The integration of cutting-edge technology and hospitality in healthcare projects in a brand new way.
  • How physicians are getting more involved in envisioning new design projects to include the clinician's perspective.
  • How new healthcare design projects include empowering patients through technology and community building.
  • How HDR's Kaiser Grande Chino project is totally different than other Kaiser hospitals, and how Kaiser is leading the way in new healthcare design models through its program, "Reimagining Ambulatory Care."
  • When Kaiser calls its patients "members", the experience changes for patients.
  • What it means to the future of healthcare design when HDR helped Kaiser reimagine its Chino location by transforming the existing waiting rooms into community classrooms, self check-in kiosks, and wait time calculators given to members.
  • How HDR's Focal Point Community Chicago project sets the bar higher for community care and wellness prevention with the hospital as the core anchor of the 33-acre campus.
  • How mixed-use spaces are now being built in some of the lowest income areas (with the example of Focal Point Community Chicago) so low-income families can have access to healthy food and great medical care.
  • The increasing desire of hospital clients to integrate with the surrounding neighborhoods and invite communities onto their campus through things like cooking classes and walking trails, and how this is changing the face of healthcare design.

Featured Product

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Inspired by the properties of photocatalytic materials, Porcelanosa has evolved their KRION® Solid Surface material called K-LIFE. When K-LIFE comes into contact with light, it will be able to purify the air, expel harmful bacteria, and more. K-LIFE can easily be integrated into many applications – from wall coverings and claddings for ceilings, to custom tables, bars, sinks, shelving units and furniture. The application of K-LIFE in areas with high daily traffic, such as waiting rooms or reception areas, can assure a gradual decontamination of germs and lead to ongoing ecological benefits. Some research performed with KRION® K-LIFE, which has photocatalytic properties, proved that the material can significantly reduce the presence of bacteria. This revolutionary process has led to a patent pending, innovative, and exclusive product that will have a direct effect on our quality of life.

Learn more about KRION® at https://www.porcelanosa-usa.com/what-is-krion/.  


Hosted by Porcelanosa, Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 explores a field in the midst of a profound shift. This isn't just about choosing paint colors or furniture; it's a deep, necessary conversation about the very spaces where healing happens. Each episode grapples with essential questions that sit at the unique intersection of art, medicine, and human well-being. We consider how to build environments that truly serve every person in a community, acknowledging the full spectrum of human diversity and need. The discussions are grounded in real-world application, moving from broad concepts to tangible details. You'll hear about specific challenges, like redesigning cancer care units to reduce anxiety, or selecting materials that resist infection without sacrificing beauty or sustainability. The podcast delves into how intentional design choices-from layout to lighting to acoustics-directly impact not only patients, but also the families who visit them and the clinical staff working long shifts. It’s a thoughtful examination of how compassion and curiosity can be built into the walls around us, making healthcare spaces more effective, inclusive, and humane. Tune in for a series that redefines what’s possible when we thoughtfully design for health.
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