“The “why?” of listening is critical to growth. It is also the core of human interaction. Being present and attentive engenders mutual respect. No one will share deep things without becoming vulnerable. This is a sacred trust, which is worthy of protection. Gathering information is fundamental, but how the information connects with other disparate concepts is enriching. Continuously absorbing anything only makes you fat; sharing its meaning exercises your whole self.”
- William J. Hercules, Modern Healthcare, 7 March 2022
Experience instructs us to look deeper than what we see or what we think we know. The value of a great question is simultaneously frustrating and illuminating – forcing thoughts into the purpose rather than the facts of conditions alone.
Strategist and president, Dwight D. Eisenhower, once quipped, “Plans are worthless; planning is indispensable.” Planning appreciates history but will affect the long-term future. Campuses develop over many decades, and succeeding leadership teams hardwire constraints or opportunities for future leadership teams. Our approach is always curated and customized to meet the opportunities ahead.
Our business model is unorthodox, as we operate as a lean team, however, we have a vast international network of top-flight subject matter experts, with whom we consult and support. This model allows us to activate only the resources necessary to address our client’s needs without the associated overhead. Our clients have told us they prefer this approach, because it is more potent, and their results are available faster. Our clients have also told us that they prefer our independent voice and incentive alignment, which is not necessarily tied to downstream revenue opportunities.
As an architect, who loves design and construction, WJH Health CEO, Mr. Bill Hercules asked the provocative question, “Why build at all?” in his presentation at the European Healthcare Design Congress. The backdrop of that presentation was a collective global strain on healthcare assets, a desire by investors and administrators to lighten the need for those assets, emerging technology that held promise to enable alternative care methods, and a cultural gravity to revert to past ways post-pandemic.
The centralized medical center of the future may only be necessary for housing specially trained teams, specialized equipment too expensive to widely distribute, and environments requiring high degrees of control, and other forms of care may evolve into hybrid approaches.
However, form always follows finance. Opportunities or inabilities to change current approaches still lead health systems to develop campuses or stake claims to strategically important geographies.
Sorting the myriad complexities requires coordinating simultaneous factors and an iterative
process including:
-
Gather and synthesize data
-
Confirm the alignment of the overarching strategy and goals
-
Quickly model the implications
-
Provocatively challenge directions
-
Developing frameworks and planning
-
Overseeing and monitoring the execution to confirm direction
-
Assessing the results
In addition to a primary strategy and planning service, WJH Health offers services related to supporting healthcare leaders with quick consulting assessments. These may include:
-
Subject-matter expertise on a variety of intersections of planning, design, finance,
research, ethics, or team development approaches.
-
Peer review of other planners’ or designers’ work to constructively challenge or affirm a
direction.
-
Support for legal actions and dispute resolutions related to design and construction in healthcare context.