Jason Schroer Of HKS To Discuss The Future Of Healthcare At Bisnow’s June 22 Event In Dallas

The population of Dallas-Fort Worth is projected to grow by more than 430,000 people in the next five years. That will strain a local healthcare market that is already undersupplied, but a recent report predicted that healthcare-related construction in the metro area will accelerate again once the capital market begins to improve.

As the global healthcare practice director for Dallas-based HKS, Jason Schroer is uniquely positioned to see this growth firsthand. HKS consistently ranks among the top three firms in the healthcare design industry, with $9.2B under construction around the world.

Schroer will be one of the speakers at Bisnow’s Future of Dallas Healthcare and Life Sciences event on June 22. Bisnow spoke with him to get his take on the trends he sees in healthcare, both in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and globally.

Bisnow: Tell us about your role at HKS.

Schroer: I am an architect with 25 years of experience in designing, planning and leading large, complex health projects around the globe, and I have focused my entire career on contemplating spaces that support healthcare. I steward the firm’s aspirations for outcome-driven design by measuring the impact of our designs on the health outcomes in the buildings we design. Our mission is to improve the health and vitality of the communities that we serve to positively impact the world.

Bisnow: What trends are you seeing in the healthcare and life sciences sectors?  

Schroer: We are seeing several important trends. One of them is the continued movement to provide care outside of the traditional hospital, such as with outpatient buildings. Many of these ambulatory care settings are packed with technology and sophisticated diagnostic and treatment capabilities, and are essentially hospitals without beds.

This takes a savvy business plan and an understanding of healthcare operations and market analysis, along with building and maintaining very advanced building systems and equipment. This competitive market requires experience, strategy and the incorporation of hospitality-type services and spaces as differentiators.   

We also see a continued shift to home care services, when it is clinically and logistically feasible to do so. This calls for a digitally enabled, connected and seamless end-to-end care experience across all care settings, with telehealth services and reimbursement playing important roles.

Also today, hospitals are housing sicker patients, which is why we aren’t necessarily seeing a reduction in beds needed. Higher-acuity patients, an aging population and longer lengths of stay require a stable bed count. At the same time, post-acute care strategies are becoming more important, along with renewed investment in a hospital’s portfolio, including assets such as skilled nursing facilities.

Another trend concerns mental and behavioral health, which permeates all aspects of healthcare. We are seeing a renewed investment in MBH-specific buildings that require high specialization for operations and planning. In all of this, we need to understand the needs and touch points of MBH patients in all healthcare building types to support equity, safety and dignity.

Lastly, market forces and the arrival of nontraditional healthcare entrants are driving a proliferation of convenient, lower-cost and anywhere-care options, such as CVS, Walgreens, Amazon and Walmart. These retail-based clinics provide more convenient access for patients, and technology allows them to compete for traditional health system investments.

Bisnow: How can building design and technology help address medical workforce concerns?

Schroer: Staff shortages are the No. 1 concern we hear from our clients. It’s been estimated that hospitals will need to hire at least 200,000 nurses per year to meet increasing demand and replace retiring nurses. 

In the meantime, nurse-to-patient ratios may need to be rethought and our designs must support a new model fit for less experienced care teams. Technology can help fill some of the gaps, but the industry needs to build a talent pipeline and employ flexible work policies to deliver a renewed caregiver experience.

Bisnow: What challenges do CRE professionals face in Dallas’ healthcare and life sciences sectors? 

Schroer: There is a need for more sophisticated buildings on the horizon. For companies participating in this sector, this calls for a deeper market knowledge and understanding of care models, along with the ability to provide flexible and high-performing buildings.

Additionally, pressures for carbon reduction and sustainability measures will impact building, design and construction approaches, especially for clients who have joined national and local commitments to lower their environmental footprints. More-stringent building codes will also increase the need to design, build and maintain more environmentally friendly buildings.

Bisnow: What trends do you foresee in the future of healthcare facilities that developers, builders and others need to be aware of?

Schroer: There are several trends to watch, including: speed to market, which will only become faster; sophisticated teams will be needed to deliver more complex projects; and flexibility and modularity will be necessary to respond to every changing need in healthcare. Also, healthcare cannot be 'closed' again as it was during Covid. This means our designs and the operations of our buildings must be configured to be responsive and resilient.

Visit here to learn more about or to register for Bisnow’s Future of Dallas Healthcare and Life Sciences event.

This article was produced in collaboration between HKS and Studio B. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.

Studio B is Bisnow’s in-house content and design studio. To learn more about how Studio B can help your team, reach out to studio@bisnow.com.