Healthcare Design Conference + Expo

Join us

Devoted to how the design of responsibly built environments directly impacts the safety, operation, clinical outcomes, and financial success of health care facilities, both now and into the future, this health care design show highlights best practices and top health care design products.

Stop by the AAH counter on the second level of the convention center to learn more about our programs and initiatives.

Related events

We encourage you to attend the following AAH related sessions and events.

A02 - AIA-AAH STERIS Student Design Charrette and Work Room
October 4  | 2-8pm

This exciting annual event is designed to highlight the brilliance and innovation of our future healthcare architects. Students from Ball State University, Clemson University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Florida will bring their creativity and ideas to this fun and evocative design charrette. Stop by the work room to see what the teams are working on.

A03: AIA-AAH STERIS Student Design Charrette Mid-Term Review & Critique
October 5  | 9am-12pm

The relaxed mid-term review and critique of this exciting annual event is designed to highlight the brilliance and innovation of our future healthcare architects. This is a chance for professionals to meet students from Ball State University, Clemson University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Florida, and give feedback on their design progress at the midpoint of the charrette.

E09: Understanding Clinical Laboratory Design: Integrating Equipment, Technology, and Facility Planning
October 6  | 9:45-10:45am

Early equipment investigation and the alignment of equipment selections with facility system design requirements are essential for optimizing clinical laboratory planning and enhancing operations. The example of a new clinical laboratory facility supporting numerous standard-of-care departments will be used to demonstrate equipment-centric planning concepts, present specific challenges that highlight the importance of early discovery and coordination, and offer lessons learned and insights into the next generation of clinical laboratory testing platforms. The clinical laboratory is being challenged to become more resilient, more productive, more efficient, more automated, more digital, and more safety focused. The outcome of diagnostic medicine depends on the successful integration and anticipation of innovative equipment and diagnostic testing assays through the work of collaborative, interdisciplinary design teams.

E19: Connections, Distinctions, and Merging Trends of Biophilia and Sustainable Design in Optimizing the Therapeutic Healing Environment
October 6  | 11am-12pm

This session will present the connections, distinctions, and new emerging trends of both biophilic and sustainable design to create therapeutic healing environments. This presentation will present in-depth scientific and evidence-based design principles that aid the healing process; offer a new tool to both grade and optimize a project's design potential and success; and analyze best-in-class case studies from around the world that exhibit these principles. Through both the scientific research and real-life best-in-class examples of healing environments, this session will provide attendees knowledge and tools to apply in their ongoing and future healthcare work.

E29: Vital Design Studio: Bridging Theory and Practice for Improving Population Health through Design
October 6  | 2-3pm

Vital Design Studio at Kansas State University's College of Architecture, Planning & Design represents a unique partnership between professional practice and the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health. A semester-long studio course aimed at exploring the relationship between population health and the built environment, the studio brings together architecture, landscape architecture, and interior architecture students to work collaboratively on real-world projects with input from practicing professionals. This interdisciplinary approach not only mirrors professional project delivery but also fosters a rich exploration of diverse design and technical perspectives, culminating in project proposals that prioritize equity, inclusion, and good health for all.  Developed by Assistant Professor Kendra Kirchmer and sponsored by Louis A. Meilink Jr., the studio raises awareness of real-world, societal challenges and emphasizes the importance of “getting upstream” to impact health outcomes. Students travel to diverse project sites, building their networks while grounding theory in the reality of communities that face real health challenges. The presentation serves as a call-to-action for the industry to become involved in shaping the future of design education through collaboration and will include perspectives from Kendra Kirchmer, Louis Meilink, and Vital Design alumna, Morgan Garrett, who chose her first job based on her experience in the studio.

E39: So, you want the VA as a client? Things you need to know
October 6  | 3:15-4:15pm

This presentation will address the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) nationwide healthcare footprint and inform small business AE firms of all types i.e., women owned; veteran owned; and service-disabled veteran owned small businesses (SDVOSB) what and where to find opportunities for projects.  Subject matter expert (SME) as a SDVOSB will share five years of trials and tribulations of chasing VA projects and what small businesses can do to hone their skills.  Will discuss the challenges of application and proposal development for VA projects, VA Forms (SF330), and how to prep for the interview process.  VA SME will present proposal pitfalls and mistakes seen from the receiving perspective. All in an effort to assist the small business to seek, find, and get that VA project award.  Will discuss post award expectations including design and construction period services, commissioning.

A12: AIA-AAH Update and Reception/Celebration
October 6  | 5:30-7:30pm

Join AAH members, friends, and leaders for an update on the latest developments, followed by a relaxed evening to celebrate our 78th year. Connect with old friends, and enjoy great food and refreshments. Attendees will also be able to meet and greet the talented and hard-working STERIS Student Design Charrette participants and the MillerKnoll Scholars.

E49: Cultivating Collaboration: Connecting Emerging Leaders in Healthcare Design
October 7  | 9:30-10:30am

This interactive course and panel discussion from the AIA Academy of Architecture for Health’s NextGen group aims to equip emerging healthcare designers with the knowledge, skills, and networking opportunities needed to navigate the complex and ever-evolving field of healthcare architecture. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the diverse career paths within healthcare design while exploring the unique resources offered by the AIA AAH. Discussion topics and Q&A will focus on the resources available within the AAH, such as the Colleague to Colleague Mentorship Program, research and case studies, codes and standards, fellowships, etc. Esteemed speakers, including past participants and members of these committees will share personal experiences, insights, and success stories, offering a firsthand look at the value of fostering connections in the field of healthcare design.

A17: AIA-AAH STERIS Student Design Charrette Presentations
October 7 | 3:45-5:45pm

This exciting annual event is organized to highlight the brilliance and innovation of our future healthcare designers. Students from Ball State University, Clemson University, Texas Tech University, and the University of Florida are selected for an opportunity to exhibit their creativity and ideas in an explorative and challenging design charrette. This session showcases the final design concepts generated during the 48-hour Charrette held over the previous weekend. Every year this charrette proves to be expansive with different students, universities, and advisees.

E57: Safety by Design: Applying Behavioral Health Design Principles to Protect Staff
October 7  | 3:45-4:45pm

How do designers create spaces in which staff feel safe, comfortable, and positioned to work at the top of their licenses—all without compromises to patient experience? Thankfully, behavioral health design principles and strategies provide a roadmap for safety success that can be applied to a wide range of service lines. During this roundtable session, you’ll discover how to apply these principles to better protect staff. Attendees will explore specific examples adapted from behavioral health design, surveying strategies that begin at the front door of health facilities and extend throughout. From managing entry points to the designs of workstations, egress, and weapons screening, presenters will detail actionable, cost-effective approaches that you can implement in your next project.

E61: The Good and the Bad of Benchmarking
October 7  | 3:45-4:45pm

The AIA AAH Research Initiative Committee efforts over the past years has focused on benchmarking of the Case Study Library. This team is dedicated to continually improving the robustness of protocols, the reliability of its database, and the clarity of communicating the studied metrics. This year's discussion will delve even deeper into the analytics, aiming to uncover the "why" behind the group's findings, discussing differences, similarities, and the ranges observed in benchmarking data and cross-case comparisons. For clinic data analytics, the focus areas include the definition, take-off analyses, and calculations regarding onstage/offstage, shared circulation, and linear typologies. Acute care hospitals will be compared based on overall building analytics and performance on the patient floors. Discussions will touch on qualitative criteria regarding circulation and waiting areas to explore wayfinding indicators that impact occupants' spatial experiences. The roundtable format of this session will offer participants the opportunity to thoroughly review benchmark data, test contribute to the analysis, test the viability of our methodology, and promote positive future design strategies.

A19: Implementing Design that Supports Neurodiversity
October 8  | 9:30-10:30am

Neuroscience reveals how the brain, mind, and body influence the diversity of users in healthcare settings. This presentation continues the Neuro-Architecture Forum hosted by the AIA-AAH for over 20 years, since the formation of the Academy of Neuroscience for Architecture (ANFA). Award-winning built projects, advances in research-informed design, and a practice-based process for incorporating neuroscience into design will be discussed. Examples of clinically informed architecture reveal how neurodiverse users may be better supported by design. Recently, studies presented to the American College of Surgeons and others reveal the significant potential deleterious impact of noise in the operating room. Patients, caregivers, and health professionals with varied clinical conditions may measurably react differently to design features depending on the tasks at hand and their level of stress as they rapidly perform their work or try to heal. A practical neuro-architectural process for creating and prioritizing competing design solutions will be reviewed. The translation of neuroscientific studies provides a deeper understanding of how spaces impact our sensory, perceptual, physical, emotional, and cognitive reactions as well as our health and well-being. Despite this complexity, equitable, inclusive, and effective design principles can be developed.

A18: AIA-AAH Tuttle Fellowship and GMZ Fellowship Presentation
October 8 | 10:30am-12:30pm

The AIA Arthur N. Tuttle Jr. Graduate Fellowship in Health Facility Planning and Design supports graduate students to increase awareness of the needs and nature of healthcare facilities, and to advance the knowledge of planning and design for healthcare environments. The Griffin/McKahan/Zilm (GMZ) fellowship has been established by three leaders in healthcare planning and design through the Foundation for Health Environments Research to encourage research in healthcare programming and planning. This session is an opportunity to hear from two AIA Arthur N Tuttle and one GMZ fellows to learn about their inspiring and innovative work.

Learn more.