Adding Value: Introducing Pre-Design Services and Andy Collignon
ESa is excited to announce the addition of Andy Collignon, a seasoned healthcare facility planning specialist. He will spearhead the firm’s in-house pre-design services, providing healthcare market and patient volume intelligence, a service previously offered through partnering consultants.
Prior to embarking on architectural project, research and analysis are essential to establish design parameters and expectations. This preliminary phase in the design process is commonly known as pre-design services. The integration of pre-design services plays a pivotal role in designing facilities that optimize patient care and operational efficiency. Through examination of current and projected patient volumes, along with in-depth understanding of medical workflows and market analysis specific to each client, this collected data becomes the compass guiding design decisions.
By leveraging data-driven insights, we can strategically design spaces that not only accommodate patient needs but also enhance the overall healthcare experience. This thoughtful approach verifies that the hospital’s physical layout aligns seamlessly with patient demand for its medical services, leading to streamlined operations, reduced wait times, and ultimately, improved outcomes for healthcare providers, patients and owners.
At its core, the purpose of pre-design services phase of any project is to consider the big picture for long-term, given the high costs of building and maintaining facilities. Also, having inadequate or inappropriate facilities can be costly in terms of patient outcomes and productivity. Pre-design services can begin as soon as it becomes apparent that changes to a healthcare facility could improve the delivery of healthcare services. These services are designed to evaluate and demonstrate the need for changes to a healthcare facility.
In-house pre-design services we now offer.
- Market Assessment & Demand Projections
– Service Area Definition (where most of the facility’s patients originate (i.e. zip code, county, state)).
– Demographic Data
– Healthcare-specific Market Data - Service Line Volume Projections
– Projections of future patients the facility should plan to treat and accommodate. - Capacity Analysis
– Once we have collected information from the market assessment, demand projections, and volume projections, that data can then inform and determine the number of Key Planning Units (KPUs) required to accommodate anticipated patient volumes given certain clinical operational parameters. - Space Programming
– Table of all spaces in a facility (i.e. department-level space programs; room-by-room space programs)
The face behind the service.
It is likely you’ve already crossed paths with Andy. With almost three decades of experience as a healthcare facility planner, Andy has collaborated with a broad range of clients and consultants across the country, including academic medical centers, healthcare systems, community hospitals and multidisciplinary physician practice groups. His extensive skill set encompasses campus planning, market assessments, service line volume projections, service line capacity analysis, operational process mapping, functional space programming, architectural facility analysis and facility master planning.
In recent times, Andy has dedicated his efforts to crafting consistent facility planning guidelines tailored for large institutions and healthcare systems. These guidelines serve as a crucial tool in determining Key Planning Units (KPUs), such as beds, operating rooms (ORs), clinic exam rooms, and imaging modalities. This determination is grounded in strategic plans, historical patient volumes and market analysis. This broad range of experience has given him the perspective needed to assist all healthcare clients in the creation of cost-effective and appropriate solutions to their healthcare facility needs.
Andy’s path to ESa.
After a fortuitous encounter with former ESa principal, David Miller, approximately 16 years ago during his tenure at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where he was overseeing expansion work at the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, Andy found himself drawn to the collaborative and engaging atmosphere fostered by the ESa team. Following his departure from Vanderbilt to pursue independent consulting work, Andy provided his services to ESa over the years, forging a strong professional relationship with many principals in the healthcare market, gaining insight into the firm’s standards and culture. Despite not being an employee, he felt a connection to ESa and its ethos. Fast forward to recent times, amidst the upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Andy’s desire for greater community and involvement in healthcare design was reignited. This prompted discussions with president, Todd Robinson, and vice president, Kevin Harney, culminating in his decision to join the firm.
A graduate of the University of Kentucky, Andy began his career in design, focusing on architecture, particularly within the realm of church design, at a small firm in Nashville. After some time there, he moved to Gresham Smith, where he spent over a decade working in their healthcare studio. This transition was somewhat serendipitous, driven by both personal connections and the need for someone with healthcare design experience. Andy attributes his interest and passion in healthcare design to his mentor, Flem Smith, healthcare architect and co-founder of Gresham Smith, and found the compassionate nature of the industry and the opportunity to contribute to improving healthcare facilities incredibly rewarding. The meaningful relationships and experiences he’s had in healthcare design have solidified his passion for the field and reinforced the importance of staying connected to it.
His impressive credentials reflect his passion for learning and commitment to excellence in multiple fields. Andy is not only a licensed architect, but he is also a lawyer and a certified Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). While at the University of Kentucky, he was inspired by a professor, both an attorney and an architect, to pursue law alongside architecture. Leading him to take on law school at night while continuing to work as an architect during the day. Although he currently doesn’t practice law, the background undoubtedly enriched his professional toolkit and provided valuable insights into various aspects of the industry. His story underscores the importance of interdisciplinary learning and how it can shape one’s career trajectory.
Outside of the office.
Outside of the office, Andy is a member of the American Institute of Architects, Tennessee Bar Association and The National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.
As you can tell, Andy wears many hats – besides being a dedicated professional, he is a loving husband and father of four, with a furry companion named Lucy, a Brittany Spaniel, who holds a special place in his heart. His hobbies include photography, a long-term passion, beginning in high school, where he served as yearbook editor and continued through college, working as a sports photographer for the university newspaper and yearbook. Nowadays, Andy finds joy in capturing precious moments with his children, considering it his favorite pastime. Interestingly, he and his wife struck a deal – he can indulge in new camera gear as long as he keeps those cherished family snapshots coming. Until recently, Andy stayed active by participating in marathons, having completed an impressive 27 of them across the country. These days, he trains for sprint triathlons, plays golf and scuba dives while on vacation with his family. It’s been quite the fulfilling journey for him.
