Designing for Infectious Diseases
Presented by the Master of Healthcare Design Program at Kent State University’s College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Date: April 21st 4:00-7:00 pm
Registration Fee: $60 for individuals, and $120 for groups (up to 3 people)
CEUs Available
Due to recent events, the attention of the world is fixated on infectious diseases and our preparedness to manage contagions at biosafety levels 2 through 4 in laboratories and in care areas. In the media, the focus has been on how these diseases spread and what preventative action people can take against transmitting them. Sales of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as the N95 respirators, and sanitizing agents have been in high demand, creating growing shortages that endanger the lives of those who need them the most. These measures, however, are only one component of a larger, more complex system that manages the containment of these diseases. This seminar is open to health care providers and designers and will discuss how design impacts infection control. It is focused on systems, equipment and strategies that can be implemented in any hospital to address the concerns and increasing prevalence of infections contagions. Hear from the experts and come with your questions.
Learning Outcomes:
Identify the impact of the COVID-19 spread on healthcare staff and their work, both from a physical and a mental perspective.
Recognize and identify the role of the physical environment in spreading, minimizing and/or containing COVID-19 and similar high-consequence infectious diseases.
Examine design strategies that help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 and similar airborne pathogens in healthcare environments.
Demonstrate an understanding of the efficacy of short- and long-term interventions and strategies in healthcare facilities design to mitigate the spread of high-consequence infectious diseases.
SPEAKERS:
BON KU, MD
Director of the Health Design Lab at Thomas Jefferson University; Marta and Robert Adelson Professor of Medicine and Design; Associate Dean for Health & Design; Practicing emergency medicine physician.
Title of Presentation: The Role of Design During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Bio: Bon Ku is the Director of the Health Design Lab at Thomas Jefferson University where he created the first design thinking program at a medical school. He is the Marta and Robert Adelson Professor of Medicine and Design, the Associate Dean for Health & Design and a practicing emergency medicine physician. Bon’s Lab teaches future physicians to apply human-centered design to healthcare challenges and tackles healthcare inequalities as a form of social justice. Their work toward building healthier cities and redesigning healthcare has been featured in The New York Times, CNBC, Architectural Digest, Fortune and Fast Company. Bon has spoken about the intersection of health and design at conferences, academic medical centers and universities around the world: SXSW, TEDx, Mayo Clinic Transform, Yale School of Management, American Institute of Architects and Singapore Design Week. Dr. Ku is the host of the Design Lab Podcast, co-wrote the book, Health Design Thinking, with Ellen Lupton and was a regular panelist on the primetime television show Chasing the Cure.
JON CRANE, FAIA, LEED AP
HDR Senior Vice President, Director of Translational Health Sciences
Title of Presentation: The Role of the Physical Environment in Health Care Facility Pandemic Response
Bio: Jon brings and understanding of the rationale behind biocontainment, biosafety and bioexclusion that has led to him pioneering innovative approaches to this critical and complex area of facility design. His efforts to integrate architecture, systems and operations to protect staff, patients and the public from infectious disease have led this integration to become a model for the design of safer facilities. -During the COVID-19 Pandemic Jon has supported HDR and their clients in designing for the mitigation of transmission in hospitals, clinics, laboratories, offices, airports, transportation and educational facilities. Without facilities designed to safely handle these organisms for diagnosis, discovery and the development of therapies, the global threat from infectious disease cannot be met. Without facilities to safely care for patients risks to the healthcare community and other patients remain high. Translating this knowledge to the design of airports, transit, education and other facilities can reduce the risk for users of these facilities. - Jon has been involved in the design of over 250 high-containment laboratories, healthcare facilities and other facility types related to pandemic preparedness in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. He has designed the most complex and comprehensive biocontainment laboratories including the highest biosafety levels for containment of smallpox, Ebola virus, anthrax and other pathogens for institutions such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
JARED F. SINGER
Director of MEP - PRIME AE Group, Inc., Registered Professional Engineer
Title of presentation: Airborne Infectious Disease Mitigation and Mechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) Design
Bio: Mr. Singer has over 16 years of experience in the mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire, and technology (MEPFT) fields practicing as a registered professional engineer within the consulting industry. His infectious disease experience relies highly on his healthcare expertise; he consults for several institutions throughout Ohio. Using the building blocks of his healthcare infectious disease control and mitigation design, Mr. Singer has successfully provided solutions for libraries, education, senior living, and hospitality, ranging from unitary stand-alone options to large, building/campus system-wide solutions. He actively pursues a multi-layered approach and is knowledgeable and experienced in bi-polar ionization, UV-C sterilization, dry hydrogen peroxide, with secondary approaches such as increased filtration, outside air, exhaust air, touchless plumbing fixtures, and specific building control strategies. Mr. Singer has led airborne and waterborne infectious disease presentations, created informational brochures, and has been a panelist for the Association of Energy Engineers. He is also a member of the Jackson Township Board of Zoning Appeals, the Stark State Engineering Curriculum Advisory Board, and the 34th Class of Leadership Stark County’s Signature Program. Mr. Singer is registered to practice as a Professional Engineer in Ohio, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania.
Symposium hosted by Master of Healthcare Design Program Coordinator Dr. Sara Bayramzadeh
Dr. Sara Bayramzadeh, Ph.D., M.Arch. is the Coordinator and Elliot Professor in the Master of Healthcare Design program at Kent State University. Dr. Bayramzadeh’s research focuses on interdisciplinary efforts to enhance healthcare outcomes through effective environmental design. She has extensive experience with complex healthcare environments such as psychiatric units, operating rooms design, and trauma room designs. Safety and efficiency are the primary healthcare outcomes she investigates. Her research also looks at opportunities to bridge academia and practice for design solutions derived from research and actively looks for ways to promote research in the design practice.