HGA has received two 2024 Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE) recognitions, one of the design industry’s most esteemed awards for evaluating research rigor and practical impact. Both research studies received CORE Merit, the highest tier score, recognizing HGA’s commitment to practice-based research across market sectors.
The research studies include:
Universal Platform for Critical Access Hospitals: Impact on Operations
CentraCare – Redwood Hospital consolidates services from an existing hospital and clinic onto a single campus to drive operational efficiencies in Redwood Falls, Minnesota. The design team integrated a universal care platform that right-sized departments and created flexible surgery and emergency rooms that can adapt to different patient needs and volume to drive higher utilization.
This pre- and post-occupancy research study captured staff’s perception, time spent on tasks, and flexible use of the universal platform that consists of centrally located patient rooms and shared service lines. The research questions included: How can the design enable reduced staffing models and support efficiency? How can design innovations provide space flexibility? And how can success be measured? The study enabled the designers to assess processes in the existing hospital in pre-occupancy, apply relevant data to planning the replacement hospital, and validate design concepts in post-occupancy.
“The authors reviewed the literature on rural hospitals, and they clearly used what they learned from this literature review and their professional experience to frame the need for the universal chassis,” noted the EDRA CORE reviewers.
Award: Certificate of Research Excellence – Merit
Client: CentraCare
Location: Redwood Falls, Minnesota
Study Team: Erin LaBrec, Shawn Sullivan, Terri Zborowsky, Dave Larsen (CentraCare), all CentraCare team members
Designing Cancer Infusion Centers: Results from a Pre- and Post-Occupancy Evaluation
St. Elizabeth Healthcare Cancer Center delivers comprehensive cancer care to a region historically underserved with specialized services in Edgewood, Kentucky. The Cancer Center includes all major oncology lines, multi-disciplinary clinics, and shelled space for future growth. In addition, the hospital promotes whole-person care, with such amenities as a yoga studio, meditation space, art and music therapy, demonstration kitchen, and healing garden.
The study performed a post-occupancy evaluation on the new infusion center and compared results to a baseline pre-occupancy evaluation of the two existing infusion centers it replaced. Using mixed methods, the researchers investigated the impact of different design strategies on staff workflow and patient satisfaction.
“This research is distinguished by its comprehensive approach, spanning pre-occupancy to post-occupancy,” the reviewers commented. “The innovative methodological approaches adopted not only enhance the depth of the study but also could benefit others in the industry.”
St. Elizabeth previously won a CORE Merit certification for the pre-occupancy research in 2020.
Award: Certificate of Research Excellence – Merit
Client: St. Elizabeth Healthcare Cancer Center
Location: Edgewood, Kentucky
Study Team: Mahshid Jalalian, Nancy Doyle, Lou Ann Bunker-Hellmich, Kara Freihoefer (Flad Architects), Abbie Ochsner (St. Elizabeth)
About EDRA CORE
The Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA) Certificate of Research Excellence (CORE) is a professional certification that recognizes practice-based environmental design research studies. For more information, visit EDRA CORE.
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