“Sick care” refers to the emphasis that health care has traditionally focused on treating symptoms and illnesses instead of promoting whole patient care, including preventative care and expanding access to health care for at-risk patients. Paula Widerlite, Chief Strategy Officer at the Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), is today’s guest on the Gensler Design Exchange, and she talks with Gensler Firmwide Health & Wellness Practice Area Leader, Tama Duffy Day, on improving patient access to health care through strategic systems and design.
In this interview, Paula and Tama tackle the “tsunami of change” happening in the health care industry. They note how provider focus is shifting on a range of issues, and that the need to evolve from ‘sick care’ to ‘well care’ is leading to trends like the rise of ‘telehealth,’ which is expanding health care access to a large number of rural patients. At the same time, patient expectations are evolving, and providers need to incorporate the latest technology to improve convivence and overall patient experiences to keep up. In response to these shifts in provider focus and patient expectations, designers should be active participants in the strategic planning of health care centers, focusing on leveraging smart design interventions to improve patient outcomes and promote health system flexibility.
