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18 Medical Construction & Design | M A RCH /A PR IL 2017 | MCDM AG.COM Continuum of care, new delivery models discussed during conference What role does real estate play in the healthcare industry's eff orts to provide a continuum of care? What are the in- dustry's strategic drivers for real estate decisions? Two Duke Realty healthcare executives — Senior Vice President Jared Stark and Vice President John Marshall — shared their expertise on those and other topics during two separate educational panels at the recently held RealShare Healthcare Real Estate Conference. Exploring continuum of care Panelists discussed the continuum of care, e.g., the process of proactively analyzing a population, providing services for all levels and stages of care, improving access to healthcare and the overall patient experi- ence and managing diseases of the popu- lation over time. It also may refer to care provided from birth to end of life. Several panelists said they've seen few cases of true continuum of care across the country because it can be challenging to implement while trying to keep costs down and rev- enues high. Some said that while they've seen more freestanding emergency depart- ments, which enhance access to health- care, these usually aren't part of a com- prehensive continuum of care platform. Emergence of 'human kindness' model Several panelists mentioned innova- tive new models that improve access and the patient experience, such as a mobile ED ambulance that treats people in the ambulance at their home rather than transporting them to the hospi- tal. One panelist mentioned a human kindness model that improves the built environment and provides ameni- ties throughout the entire system that positively aff ects everyone, including patients, physicians, staff and visitors. Marshall of Duke Realty noted, "In a Mortenson survey conducted last year, 68 percent of providers directly cor- related improving the quality of the facility to improving patient outcomes. This is something we all probably real- ize as obvious, but this quantifi es it." Other trends mentioned included consolidation of clinical services, con- solidation of physician groups and more development of end-of-life care. It was noted that healthcare for seniors usu- ally provides a true continuum of care, including senior apartments, indepen- dent living, assisted living, memory care, skilled nursing and post-acute rehab. Growth continues for outpatient, retail clinics The panel discussed the growth of out- patient facilities and retail clinics, which are more convenient and accessible for consumers than large hospital campuses. Marshall noted: "I saw an Advisory Board statistic that 25 percent of consumers used a retail clinic in 2015, up from 15 percent in 2013. Ten years ago we would never do this because these facilities didn't ex- ist. Now, however, health providers that implement retail clinics can off er simple, convenient healthcare services to consum- ers, but also navigate them to their other Industry Navigating Change CONFERENCE RECAP news, awards, etc. Change: Kurt Kleemann/Dreamstime To make a senior emergency department program eff ective, can the built environment be confi gured to keep patients fully engaged and ensure their safety? This question and more are explored in a recent case study, "Services for Seniors: A Case Study on the Impact of Aging at the University Medical Center of Princeton," available through the Center for Health Design's website at healthdesign.org. University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro in New Jersey accommodates the unique needs of its aging population through a special emergency department unit. Design features were included to help older patients and their families better navigate the space. Spaces are confi gured to transition senior ED patients for an inpatient stay in the most supportive environment. By improving the patient experience for the aging population, UMCPP is working to achieve shorter stays and better outcomes. Design, Services Accommodating Aging Population Examined