Lectures eye health care design solutions for under, uninsured

Relationships between architectural design and health care for the under and uninsured are the focus of the [Center for Health Systems & Design] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chsd/) ’s Spring 2012 Architecture-for-Health Lecture Series.

The semester-long program, "Delivering Health Care to the Under & Uninsured: Innovative Solutions & Architectural Designs," is open to the public. The lectures begin with a keynote address by Marjorie Petty, Region 6 director of the [U.S. Department of Health and Human Services] (http://www.hhs.gov/) , 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18 in the Wright Gallery, on the second floor of building A of [Langford Architecture Center] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/inside/getting-here/) on the Texas A&M campus.

The remaining [lectures] (http://archone.tamu.edu/archcom/PDFs/Arch-Health_Lectures_LowRes.pdf) (987K PDF), featuring distinguished members of the allied healthcare, design and building professions on issues related to improving healthcare and sustainable healthcare facilities design, are scheduled on Wednesdays at the same time and location.

Petty, who will talk about U.S. health care services, comes to Texas A&M as a representative of HHS Secretary [Kathleen Sebelius] (http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/biography/index.html) . She works with federal, state, local and tribal officials on a wide range of health and social service issues relevant to HHS Region 6, which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas.

Prior to her appointment as regional director in 2009, Petty served as director of public affairs and consumer protection for the Kansas Corporation Commission for six years. She also served as chairwoman of the board of directors of Delta Dental of Kansas, beginning in August 2008, after serving on the company's board since 2001.

Petty will be introduced by [Craig Blakely] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/office-of-the-dean/biography.html) , dean of the Texas A&M Health Science Center’s [School of Rural Public Health] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/) , which collaborated with the College of Architecture in organizing the lecture series.

“The number of under and uninsured patients in the United States is rising because of the economic downturn, high unemployment and the increasing costs of health care,” said George J. Mann, the Texas A&M architecture professor who coordinated the lecture series.

The guest lecturers, Mann said, will examine a number of issues relevant to the health care providers, facility designers and recipients, such as:

• “What kind of facilities do we need to to efficiently, effectively and economically deliver accessible, affordable and quality health care to these patients?”
• “Are architects sensitive to the medical and economic issues related to designing facilities that are appropriate?
• Are the expensive health facilities we have been building the last 30 years a part of the solution or a part of the problem?”

Mann is holder of the [Ronald L. Skaggs] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/community/formerstudents/outstanding-alumni/past-honorees/75/) and [Joseph G. Sprague] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/community/formerstudents/outstanding-alumni/past-honorees/80/) Endowed Chair of Health Facilities Design in the Department of Architecture.

Throughout the series, health care industry leaders, experienced providers and health facility designers will discuss their accomplishments and identify innovations needed to develop interdisciplinary, cost-effective solutions for patients who lack adequate health insurance.

Other lectures, to be held 11:30 a.m. Wednesdays in the Wright Gallery, include:

Jan. 25 — “Culture, Design, and Long-Term Care in the 21st Century,” featuring regents professors [M. Catherine Hawes] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/health-policy-mgmt/hpm-faculty-/Catherine-Hawes.html) , director, and [Charles D. Phillips] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/health-policy-mgmt/hpm-faculty-/Charles%20D.%20Phillips.html) , senior researcher, with the Program on Disability, Aging, and Long-Term Care at Texas A&M Health Science Center’s School of Rural Public Health;

Feb. 1 — “A Portrait of Charity Care Clinics in Texas,” featuring [Judy Hopkins] (http://www.tx-lsacc.org/boardofdirectors.aspx) , executive director of the [Lone Star Association of Charitable Clinics] (http://www.tx-lsacc.org/) in Austin, Texas.

Feb. 8 — “The Texas A&M University One Health Program,” with [Eleanor Green] (http://vetmed.tamu.edu/dean) , dean of the [College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences] (http://vetmed.tamu.edu/) at Texas A&M University, Suzanne Yandow, professor of surgery and clinical staff physician, and [ T. Samuel Shomaker] (http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/dean/about.html) , dean of medicine and vice president for clinical affairs, both with the Texas A&M Health Science Center [College of Medicine] (http://medicine.tamhsc.edu/) .

Feb. 15 — “Building Community Capacity to Improve Health,” featuring Monica Wendel, director of the [Center for Community Health Development] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/research/research-centers.html#CCHD) and assistant professor in the [Department of Social and Behavioral Health] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/social-behavioral-health/) at Texas A&M Health Science Center’s School of Rural Public Health, and Angie Alaniz, deputy director and Brazos Valley regional director of the Center for Community Health Development;

Feb. 22 — “Healthcare Reform Changes the Way We Deliver Service to those Who Need Them the Most," featuring Deborah Sweetland, vice president of the Clinical Solutions & Research Group at [HKS Inc.] (http://hksinc.com/)

Feb. 29 — “The Value of Health,” with Charles J.J. Andrews, principal, and Rebekah Negrete, architect technician, both with [Overland Partners Architects] (http://www.overlandpartners.com/home.htm) in San Antonio;

March 21 —  “Center for Housing and Urban Development Health Care Initiatives in the Texas Colonias” — with [Jorge Vanegas] (http://archone.tamu.edu/college/news/newsletters/fall2009/stories/vanegas_dean.html) , dean of the College of Architecture and director of the [center] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chud/) , and [Oscar J. Munoz] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chud/who_we_are/oscar_munoz_bio.html) , deputy director;

March 28 — “Caring for Those in Need: A Case Study of the People’s Community Clinic, Austin, Texas,” featuring [ Richard Peavey] (http://www.austinpcc.org/about-our-clinic/provider-biographies/) , M.D., director of adult and internal medicine for [People’s Community Clinic] (http://www.austinpcc.org/) in Austin, and Phillip Steffy, architectural project coordinator fir HDR Inc. in Dallas;

April 4 — “Breaking Down Barriers and Building Access to Healthcare: Creating a Culturally Appropriate Environment,” with Paule Anne Lewis, executive director of the [ San Jose Clinic] (http://www.sanjoseclinic.org/) in Houston;

April 4 — “Native American Health Care: Where are We and How did We Get There?” featuring Shane Boren, intern architect, [James R. Childers Architects Inc.] (http://www.childersarchitect.com/) , Fort Smith, Arkansas;

April 11 — “What’s in a Shell?” with Judith T. Deyo, executive director, [TOMAGAW HealthCare Ministries] (http://www.tomagwa.org) , headquartered in Tomball, Texas and serving the communities of Tomball, Magnolia & Waller;

April 18 — “Opportunities in Designing to Serve All,” with [Sarah Meeker Jensen] (http://www.jensenpartners.com/archives/Profiles/sarah-meeker-jensen) , president, and [Frances Ridlehoover] (http://www.jensenpartners.com/archives/Profiles/frances-ridlehoover) , managing partner, both with [Jensen + Partners] (http://www.jensenpartners.com/) in Los Angeles, Calif.

The Spring 2012 Architecture-for-Health Lecture Series is presented by the [Center for Health Systems & Design] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chsd/) , [Center for Housing and Urban Development] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chud/) , [Department of Architecture] (http://dept.arch.tamu.edu/) and [College of Architecture] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/) , in collaboration with the Texas A&M Health Science Center [School of Rural Public Health] (http://srph.tamhsc.edu/) . The series is funded by a generous gift from former students [Ronald L. Skaggs] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/community/formerstudents/outstanding-alumni/past-honorees/75/) , chairman emeritus of HKS Inc. and [Joseph G. Sprague] (http://www.arch.tamu.edu/community/formerstudents/outstanding-alumni/past-honorees/80/) , senior vice president and director of health facilities for HKS Inc.

A [brochure] (http://archone.tamu.edu/archcom/PDFs/Arch-Health_Lectures_LowRes.pdf) (987K PDF) with the complete lecture series schedule is available [online] (http://archone.tamu.edu/archcom/PDFs/Arch-Health_Lectures_LowRes.pdf) . For more information, contact Judy Pruitt at jpruitt@tamu.edu or 979.845.7009.