Texas A&M architecture professor selected for elite ACCM fellowship

For decades working to raising critical healthcare design standards, Kirk Hamilton, professor of architecture at Texas A&M, was elevated to fellowship in the [American College of Critical Care Medicine] (http://www.sccm.org/Professional-Development/ACCM) . He is only the second architect to be inducted into the elite national society whose members are recognized for their personal commitment to critical care excellence by their achievements and contributions.

A renowned thinker, innovator and a longtime leader in the healthcare design community, Hamilton has spent more than 30 years investigating and analyzing critical care trends and best practices. Currently, he is conducting research in critical care units.

“Hamilton has worked side by side with nurses, hospital administration, students and builders to improve patient and family care,” said Sandy Swoboda, registered nurse, Johns Hopkins University Schools of Medicine and Nursing. “He is respectful, engaging and a role model for collaborative interaction.”

He is a founding principal emeritus of [WHR Architects] (https://www.eypae.com/healthcare) , an internationally recognized firm that specializes in healthcare architecture, a member of the American Institute of Architects’ [College of Fellows] (http://www.aia.org/practicing/groups/cof/AIAS077445) and an American College of Healthcare Architects’ [Fellow] (http://www.healtharchitects.org/Member/fellowship_info.asp) .

Hamilton serves as a faculty fellow and former interim director of Texas A&M’s [Center for Health Systems and Design] (http://archone.tamu.edu/chsd/) and edits the [Health Environments Research & Design Journal] (http://www.herdjournal.com/ME2/Default.asp?webSyncID=94b65e81-2398-2ea3-0e19-54c592bc6958&sessionGUID=64221e42-d9b8-895e-3d3d-3812540a3030) , an interdisciplinary, peer-reviewed journal with a mission to enhance the knowledge and practice of evidence-based health care design by disseminating research findings, discussing issues and trends, and translating research to practice.

Since joining the Texas A&M faculty in 2004, he has taught evidence-based design and the relationship of facility design to organizational performance, as well as the importance of patients experience as a factor in aiding the work of healthcare professionals.

“In my hospital designs I was an advocate for patients, experiencing a very difficult time in their lives, who didn’t have a seat at the design table,” Hamilton said. “I worked hard to try to make hospitals that were less frightening, that connected patients to nature and were something other than highly institutional, dark and dreary places.”

Hamilton holds the Texas A&M Julie & Craig Beale Endowed Professorship of Health Facility Design and earned a [Changemaker] (https://www.healthdesign.org/certification-outreach/awards-recognition/changemaker-award) award from the [Center for Health Design] (https://www.healthdesign.org/) for his efforts to improve healthcare quality.

Hamilton earned a Ph.D. of Nursing and Healthcare Innovation at Arizona State University, a Master of Science in Organization Development degree at Pepperdine University and a Bachelor of Architecture degree at the University of Texas.

He will be inducted into the organization Feb. 18, 2019 at the Society of Critical Care Medicine Convocation in San Diego.

Sarah Wilson
swilson@arch.tamu.edu