HFSE Prepares for Big Show

CHICAGO — The Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo (HFSE) kicks off on Sept. 30. The three-day event will bring together industry leaders from design firms and health care facilities to share best practices, explore new concepts and discover products and solutions.

“The theme of this year’s event is ‘Building Connections,’ and the event is known for fostering an environment where the industry sets aside competition for a free exchange of ideas to further the mission of turning brilliant design into improved health care delivery,” said Liz Miller, marketing and conference director for JD Events, which produced this year’s HFSE. “With that in mind, attendees can expect three days of outstanding education and increased time and incentive to network with fellow attendees and exhibitors.”

More than 2,700 attendees are expected at the event, according to Miller. Attendees will be able to spend their time listening to discussion sessions, exploring booths in the exhibit hall, and networking with peers. There were also be three keynote sessions.

“These keynotes will give the practitioner’s view on health care and discuss the power of stories and evolving care delivery,” Miller said.

The event’s opening keynote is Annie Brewster, a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. In 2010, Brewster starting recording patient narratives, which have been recognized on various media outlets. Brewster will speak on Sept. 30 at 9 a.m.

The expo also features Dr. John Milne, founder and CEO of Avnew Health. Milne will discuss how health care delivery trends are having an influence on facility design. Milne will speak on Oct. 1 at 9:15 a.m.

The final keynote speaker for the expo is Marc Sauve, MBA. Sauve will discuss clinical reconfiguration strategies to elevate inpatient efficiency and best practices strategies to facilitate population health management. He will speak on Oct. 2 at 10:30 a.m., and the expo will close at 3:30 p.m. that afternoon.

Now in its 27th year, the expo was founded in 1987 by Wayne Ruga as a forum that explored how the design of the physical environment could positively affect healing and promote well-being, according to the HFSE website. It was the first event created for design professionals, health care executives and product manufacturers. Attendees include architects, engineers, contractors, interior designers, facility managers and planners, health care administrators and clinicians.

New to this year’s event, Miller noted, is the Connections Corner and Recharge Lounge.

“These lounges will give attendees a comfortable space within the exhibit hall and conference to take a break and meet with fellow attendees,” Miller said.

Perhaps the most notable addition to the event is the Technology Pavilion, which offers a chance for attendees to explore a visual display that allows them to interact and explore how technologies are helping to view, investigate, analyze and understand how technology makes a difference for health systems.

"Technology is increasingly intertwined with the built environment, so it is critical for our audience who are the builders and designers of health care environments to understand the big picture and what’s in the future," said Jenabeth Ferguson, VP, symposium director, in a statement. "We are excited to showcase this visual hands-on display that will allow attendees to experience collaborative technology solutions.”