Healthcare facilities today are facing a formidable challenge. Many are in dire need of expansion, renovation, or replacement to meet changing codes and regulations and to prepare for the wave of baby boomers that will soon be at its peak. Typically, the owners of these facilities need to hire an architectural firm, an engineering firm, and a consulting firm just to get these complex projects off the ground. That is, unless they call HDR Architecture, which delivers all of these services in one complete package.

Doug Wignall, Senior VP

For the healthcare industry, HDR is a leader in evidence-based design. As healthcare providers have adapted to new technology and a more discerning public, HDR’s services have evolved to keep pace, earning it the number one spot in Modern Healthcare’s rankings 10 times, and it has been in the top four every year since the rankings were introduced in 1978.

Doug Wignall, senior vice president and national director of HDR’s healthcare division, said the firm has found a niche in complex building designs. “Hospitals and healthcare facilities are about as complex as you can get,” said Wignall. “We design buildings that involve multiple systems. The room types and sizes and their relationship to each other are incredibly complicated. Compound that with HVAC, electrical, communications, and delivery systems, to name a few—and all the associated regulations—and you have a very complex project on your hands.”

Above and beyond
With thousands of projects under its belt, including ambulatory care centers, cancer centers, cardiac care facilities, hospitals, and medical office buildings, HDR has exceptional longevity with clients: more than 80% of its healthcare business is from repeat customers. “We still do work for our very first healthcare client, and it’s a relationship we’ve maintained for more than 50 years,” said Wignall.

It’s no surprise clients repeatedly choose HDR. For starters, the firm goes beyond architectural, engineering, and consulting capabilities to offer healthcare clients non-traditional services such as strategic operational and clinical planning, medical equipment planning, urban and campus planning, signage and graphics, product design, technology consulting, interior design, and sustainable design. It also has consulting groups made up of former healthcare professionals to help clients make pre-design decisions and develop a long-term strategy based on community demographics and other statistics. “It may result in a hospital adding to its cancer center, building a heart center, or even shrinking some services and replacing them with more profitable ones,” said Wignall.

HDR is prepared to handle any and all issues related to healthcare design and construction. Increasingly, hospitals are looking to go “green,” and the firm has a group dedicated to sustainable design. For those who anticipate traffic problems, HDR has traffic and road engineers and urban planners who can come up with a viable solution. If a client is looking to relocate entirely, HDR can help find the best site for the new facility. “There are so many things that tie into these projects, and we can handle them all.”

Second, HDR tends to attract employees for the long term. Although the firm has been experiencing a growth spurt over the past few years, it has maintained an average tenure of more than 10 years, with some employees on board for more than 30. A long tenured staff leads to better operational continuity, something clients look for, Wignall said.

“The more consistency and continuity we have, the better service we can provide. It also helps us grow. Our senior staff mentors our younger staff, giving them the experience and skills they need to grow with the company.”

Sense of ownership
To facilitate employee growth and development, HDR has an extensive training program. Employees at all levels of the company participate in both internal and external training covering all facets of the business, including project management, design, marketing, interpersonal relationships, leadership, and client relations. Wignall explained that the courses, which are taught by training professionals with input from senior staff, are tiered, meaning employees start with beginner class in each category and work their way up.

HDR’s employees own the company outright, which contributes to their loyalty. Originally, the firm was owned by its three current-day principals, H.H. Henningson, Charles Durham, and Willard Richardson, who sold the company to a large international construction company in the early ’80s. But in 1996, the employees joined forces and bought the company back. “When we did that, we were one-fifth the size we are today. Even through all that growth, our tenure is above average and our turnover rate is one of the lowest in the country,” said Wignall.

“Because everyone is a partial owner, they all feel a sense of responsibility for the success of the company and all have a stake in our success.” HDR maintains a relatively flat infrastructure to keep the ideas flowing. “This company is fueled by ideas, and ideas come from across the organization. People at all levels are encouraged to contribute to our growth.”