Episode 76, Elizabeth Sullivan, Principal, Regional Co-Leader of Healthcare, Northeast HOK

"Everything is shifting at once — our care models, technology, AI, capital pressures, workforce dynamics." — Elizabeth Sullivan on HID2.0 In this episode of Healthcare Interior Design 2.0, Cheryl Janis sits down with Elizabeth Sullivan, Principal and Regional Co-Leader of Healthcare Northeast at HOK and adjunct professor at The New York School of Interior Design for a deeply thoughtful conversation about healthcare architecture, lived experience, mentorship, and the future of humane healthcare environments. Elizabeth shares how she went from thinking healthcare architecture sounded "boring" to discovering that it is one of the most meaningful, complex, and human-centered areas of design. With experience spanning architectural practice, the owner side, teaching, and her own personal experiences as a patient, Elizabeth brings a rare and powerful lens to what healthcare spaces are — and what they still need to become. Together, Cheryl and Elizabeth explore the next wave of healthcare design, the importance of flexibility and adaptability, the emotional weight of hospitals, the role of respite spaces, and why small details — even the chair in a patient room — can have an enormous impact. In This Episode, Cheryl and Elizabeth Discuss Elizabeth's unexpected path into healthcare architecture Why healthcare design is far more creative, emotional, and complex than she first imagined How her experiences as a patient shaped the way she thinks about space The idea that healthcare architecture is on the edge of a major transformation Why future healthcare environments must be more adaptable and resilient How care models, AI, capital pressures, workforce dynamics, and sustainability are influencing design The importance of respite spaces for patients, families, and staff Why mentorship and apprenticeship still matter deeply in architecture What designers often misunderstand about the owner side of healthcare How curiosity can help young professionals find their place in healthcare design Why empathy is not abstract — it shows up in the questions designers ask The surprising importance of the chair in a patient room KEY TAKEAWAYS Healthcare design is deeply human. Elizabeth's early assumption that healthcare architecture would be overly technical changed when she realized the work is centered around people in some of life's most vulnerable moments. We are not waiting for transformation — we are already inside it. Elizabeth describes healthcare architecture as being on the cusp of a major shift, driven by care models, technology, AI, capital pressures, workforce dynamics, sustainability, infrastructure, and community health. Future healthcare environments need to behave less like static buildings and more like adaptable systems. One of Elizabeth's strongest points is that designers are no longer simply "building buildings." They are designing systems that must flex, evolve, and respond over time. Long-term healthcare planning has to become more flexible and realistic. Elizabeth challenges the idea of rigid 20-year master plans, pointing instead toward shorter planning horizons, modular thinking, strategic adaptability, and future-ready infrastructure. The owner's perspective changes everything. Her experience working on the owner side gave her a deeper understanding of capital constraints, operating budgets, shifting priorities, stakeholders, schedules, and why even strong projects can change direction. Mentorship is not extra — it is part of the profession. Elizabeth speaks beautifully about the mentors who shaped her and why she now feels called to teach what students and young professionals cannot always learn from books alone. Empathy shows up in the questions designers ask. For Elizabeth, empathetic design is not just a feeling; it is a process of listening carefully, asking people to walk through their day, understanding their pain points, and translating those insights into better environments. Healthcare design has many entry points. For people drawn to the field, Elizabeth emphasizes that healthcare design can include planning, research, furniture design, workplace strategy, operations, management, and more — not only traditional architecture. The most humane healthcare environments create comfort, safety, and emotional relief. Elizabeth imagines future healthcare spaces that help take people's minds away from the stress of being somewhere they may not have chosen to be. Small details carry enormous weight. Her reflection on "the chair" is a perfect example: a seemingly minor design choice can affect patients, family members, caregivers, clinicians, and staff for hours at a time. RESOURCES MENTIONED   New York School of Interior Design — Master of Professional Studies in Design of Healthcare Environments A graduate program focused on healthcare interiors, including research methods, healthcare history and theory, environmental and behavioral studies, applied design, sustainable design, and lighting research. Healthcare Architecture in an Era of Radical Transformation — Stephen Verderber and David J. Fine The book connected to the "waves of healthcare architecture" idea discussed in the episode. It was published by Yale University Press in 2000 and focuses on hospital architecture and healthcare facility design. Healthcare Architecture in an Era of Radical Transformation — Open Library listing A clean bibliographic listing with ISBN information, publisher details, and publication date. Innovations in Hospital Architecture — Stephen Verderber A related Verderber resource on sustainable hospital architecture, carbon-neutral care settings, future planning, and contemporary hospital design. Ana Pinto-Alexander — HKS Profile Cheryl references Ana Pinto-Alexander during the conversation. HKS lists her as Principal Emeritus and notes her extensive healthcare and pediatric design work. Healthcare Interior Design 2.0 Podcast Episode 1 — Ana Pinto-Alexander The earlier episode Cheryl references, centered on empathy, healthcare interiors, and Ana's personal connection to healthcare design. Montefiore Einstein — Our History Background on Montefiore Einstein, including its relationship with Albert Einstein College of Medicine and the 2015 agreement that transferred operational and financial responsibility for the College of Medicine to Montefiore. MEMORABLE GUEST QUOTES "What I didn't realize is that healthcare is deeply human. It's not just about buildings. It's about the people and the most vulnerable moments." "That's a very common connection for people who decide to go into healthcare — it becomes deeply personal." "Those experiences at 10 years old shape the way that I think about how we create space today." "I believe that we are really on the cusp of transformation." "That experience really shifted my perspective from this technical thing to something more meaningful. And once that clicked, there was no going back." "We're not just building buildings anymore. We're designing systems that need to adapt over time." "The day a hospital opens, it's outdated." "The respite spaces — places for people to go and have a moment — are really critical in healthcare." "Those moments are really important for people's well-being." "Architecture is apprenticeship." "I am here for you." "You don't understand it's a different set of pressures." "I would encourage anybody who is in architecture to work on the owner's side and really have a better understanding of why we do what we do." "Walk me through a day in the life — and they will often talk about what their challenges are. It's up to us to help them find the solutions." "I think the level of innovation and thoughtfulness that's happening right now… that's what I'm hopeful for." "Inside these healthcare environments, feeling comfortable, feeling safe… to have an environment that sort of takes you away from a place you may not have a choice to be in." "The chairs are really important. They really are." Guest Bio Elizabeth Sullivan is Principal and Regional Co-Leader of Healthcare Northeast at HOK. Her work bridges architectural practice, healthcare ownership, strategic planning, mentorship, and education. With experience on both the design and owner sides of healthcare environments, Elizabeth brings a uniquely holistic perspective to the future of healthcare architecture. She also serves as adjunct professor at the New York School of Interior Design, helping students and emerging professionals understand the business, operational, and human realities behind healthcare design. Connect with Elizabeth Sullivan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-sullivan-36947313/ Email: [email protected] Our Industry Partners The world is changing quickly. The Center for Health Design is committed to providing the healthcare design and senior living design industries with the latest research, best practices and innovations. The Center can help you solve today's biggest healthcare challenges and make a difference in care, safety, medical outcomes, and the bottom line.  Find out more at healthdesign.org. Additional support for this podcast comes from our industry partners: The American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design Learn more about how to become a Certified Healthcare Interior Designer®  by visiting the American Academy of Healthcare Interior Designers at: https://aahid.org/. Connect to a community interested in supporting clinician involvement in design and construction of the built environment by visiting The Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design at https://www.nursingihd.com/ ------------ FEATURED PRODUCT Porcelanosa are at the forefront of sustainable manufacturing – clients not only expect this of their suppliers but are increasingly asking to see the receipts. Let's unpack this, did you know that hundreds of preeminent members of The American Institute of Architects –  The AIA – have signed the AIA Materials Pledge? The Pledge is aligned with the Mindful Materials Common Materials Framework – the CMF. This is just one, very impressive example of how the movement to support decision making for building product selection has reached new highs. We can see these explained as 5 pillars of sustainability: (The first) - Human Health: Focusing on avoiding hazardous substances and promoting well-being. 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