Leveraging influence

With hospital capital spending still feeling the effects of the credit crisis-led recession and hospital executives attempting to discern the potential ramifications of health care reform, it would be an understatement to say next month's International Summit & Exhibition on Health Facility Planning, Design and Construction™ (PDC) will convene under unique circumstances.

Organized by the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) of the American Hospital Association (AHA) and the American Institute of Architects Academy of Architecture for Health (AIA/AAH), the PDC Summit has long been a showcase for the most innovative and efficient hospital building trends.

However, as health facilities professionals currently find themselves buffeted by events documented in the Health Facilities Management (HFM) and ASHE 2010 Hospital Building Report, PDC Summit organizers have added to the program by assembling a world-class roster of outstanding political and economic speakers to lend perspective, such as AHA President and CEO Richard Umbdenstock and Citigroup Health Care Group Managing Director Frederick Hessler.

Indeed, ASHE has always excelled at leveraging its influence as part of AHA to bring the expertise of top health care leaders to bear on the concerns of the hospital design and facilities operations community. Likewise, as part of AHA's publishing group, we at HFM strive to use our contacts within the organization to gather and disseminate the information you need to stay up-to-date on the changes that are so profoundly affecting your industry and livelihood.

The PDC Summit and the 2010 Hospital Building Report are just two examples of these efforts.