June 2026 High-Profile Focus: Healthcare Facilities 19

As healthcare projects become significantly more complex, ensuring a successful build depends on several factors. Healthcare systems are evolving rapidly due to changes in technology, patient care models, staffing needs, and regulatory requirements, and this presents a challenge for design teams as they work to create facilities that will ensure long-term adaptability while meeting the current needs of staff and patients.

“ For many years, infrastructure systems were often designed primarily to meet immediate code compliance and operational needs. Today, healthcare systems recognize that infrastructure must do much more— it must support flexibility, long-term growth, evolving technology, regulatory changes, and emergency response preparedness, including lessons learned from the pandemic,” says Edward Marcey, AIA, Healthcare Studio leader at Margulies Perruzzi.“ Facilities teams are increasingly focused on designing systems with additional capacity, adaptability, and redundancy so buildings can evolve over time without requiring major disruptions to patient care operations.”

A focus on flexibility is key when addressing the current and future needs

of a healthcare facility. Another major consideration for design teams today is minimizing disruption to ongoing operations, particularly in renovation and phased construction projects within active healthcare environments.

Jennifer Luoni, vice president of architecture at Dacon, says,“ Flexibility must be embedded into the infrastructure from the outset, particularly within MEP systems, utility distribution, floor planning, and modular clinical or laboratory environments. At Dacon, we focus heavily on scalable infrastructure and adaptable layouts that allow healthcare and life sciences organizations

to expand, reconfigure, or modernize without major disruption.”

Rising construction costs, infrastructure demands, and sustainability expectations still continue to challenge project teams. Project success depends on many factors including engaging a broad range of stakeholders throughout the planning and design process and balancing operational improvements with strategic compromises that allow healthcare systems to continue evolving within the constraints of their existing campuses.

“ Early coordination between architecture, engineering, construction, and end users is essential. Successful healthcare projects require deep understanding of workflow, infection control, energy performance, resiliency, and regulatory compliance from the earliest planning stages,” says Luoni.“ We place strong emphasis on understanding the operational goals behind every healthcare project, not simply delivering a building, but creating environments that improve efficiency, support innovation, and enable future growth.”

As design considerations continue to evolve, creating flexible and resilient facilities requires thoughtful planning while keeping the goals of all stakeholders in mind. Teams are creating these adaptable, high-performance facilities through a focus on collaboration and creating innovative spaces where patient and staff feel supported.

Marcey says,“ Ultimately, successful healthcare design today requires balancing operational efficiency, patient and staff experience, regulatory compliance, technology integration, and long-term adaptability, all while recognizing that healthcare environments must remain functional and resilient for years to come.”

www. high-profile. com