Healthcare Design returned to wine country for the sixth annual Healthcare Design Forum held Sept. 7-9 at The Meritage Resort & Spa in Napa Valley, Calif. Bringing together Healthcare Design’s Editorial Advisory Board, HCD 10 award winners, invited attendees, and sponsors, the three-day event featured keynote and panel sessions, networking events, small-group breakouts, and, yes, some wine tastings.
Kicking off the program, Dr. Stella Safo from Mount Sinai in New York discussed designing for health equity and why it’s vital to have patients help the design community in that effort. “We have to have patients join us at the design table,” she says. The goal, she adds, is to “design a better healthcare system together.”
Healthcare Design Editor-in-chief Jennifer Kovacs Silvis led an owners’ panel discussion with representatives from several major healthcare systems on challenges they face, including how they’re addressing social determinants of health through their projects and initiatives. Silvis also shared her annual presentation, “HCD Insights,” exploring trends from the magazine’s A/E/C industry and workplace trends surveys conducted earlier this year.
Topping off the last day was a panel discussion with current and past HCD Rising Star winners on the future of the industry.
Also on the menu at this year’s event was a Game Show Extravaganza, where teams of attendees competed in a mashup of “Jeopardy,” “Family Feud,” and “Minute to Win It” challenges; a wine tasting and dinner at Paraduxx Winery; and the annual HCD 10 awards dinner, held outside at the resort.
The event was made possible by sponsors Carolina, Kevin Barry Art Advisory, Kimball International, Kwalu, La Z Boy Healthcare, Paladin Healthcare, Porcelanosa, Shaw Contract, and Whitehall Manufacturing.
