Second Edition of Delta Focuses on Transformative Ideas for the Future of Healthcare

HDR has released the second edition of its Delta book series. Written by healthcare and UX designers with expertise in the design and health industries, the book includes case studies, research, insights, watch lists and practical guides that help readers discover new ways to implement forward-thinking strategies that can transform the future of healthcare delivery.

Chapter 1 explores “The Transformation of Healthcare: How to Pull the Levers for the Most Profound Impact.” Using the basic tenets of systems theory, authors examine how transformation in healthcare can happen not by enhancing the components of the system—facilities, staff, tools, etc.—but by focusing on its other parts: purpose and relationships. Five steps to begin the transformation process are detailed.

Chapter 2 investigates “End-to-end Experiences: How Healthcare Can Reach its Digital Nirvana.” While it’s easy to become enamored by the latest technological advancements, the value proposition must center on enabling end-to-end experiences as patients move through the system of care. Here, authors discuss how healthcare providers can use technology to enhance—not drive—the fundamentally human experiences of healthcare.

Chapter 3 studies “The Value of Placemaking in Healthcare: How the Built Environment Can Impact Human Behavior.” Recent models of population health show that access to clinical care accounts for only a small portion of health outcomes, while lifestyle and socioeconomic factors contribute far more significantly. This chapter illustrates how a focus on creating places and communities that encourage healthy behaviors can combat the social determinants of health.

“This second edition of Delta builds on the premise of the inaugural publication about how to respond to a rapidly changing market while encouraging future-focused innovation,” notes Hank Adams, FACHA, AIA, EDAC, global director of Health for HDR. “While the seeds of our knowledge were sown in architecture, our roots have spread and we’re now able to apply a broad spectrum of skills and understanding to a common mission: To improve health through inspired design. And while sometimes that design involves the built environment, it can also apply to processes, technologies or experiences that can transform healthcare delivery in ways big and small.”

For a pdf download of Delta: Volume 2, visit hdrinc.com/delta. For a print copy or more information, email delta@hdrinc.com.