Erin Sharp-Newton and Bryan Pennington to Present at 2021 Healthcare Design Expo & Conference
Behavioral health experts Erin Sharp-Newton and Bryan Pennington have been selected to present at this year’s Healthcare Design Expo & Conference (HCD) on October 24, 2021, in Cleveland.
Alongside Deanna Sperling, president and CEO of behavioral health at RWJBarnabas Health, and Nicole Cocolin, president at DCC Design Group, they will share the vision and innovation, coupled with research-based design principles, that shaped the new Eating Disorder Unit for Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset.
Find out what makes designing for behavioral health unique when addressing eating disorders, and how designing with biophilia can “tune” circadian rhythms to improve outcomes across the full spectrum of behavioral health. Register today!
“Integrating Vision and Research: The Design of a State-of-the-Art Eating Disorder Unit”
October 24, 2021, 8:45 am
Christine Belluardo-Tierney, MAS, BSW, Assistant VP of Behavioral Health Services, RWJBarnabas Health, Somerset
Erin Sharp Newton, Associate, M.Arch., Behavioral Health Thought Leader, UDMH Fellow, NK Architects
Bryan Pennington, AIA, ACHA, Associate Principal, NK Architects
Nicole Cocolin, NCIDQ, President, DCC Design Group
Visioning care through design in the renovation of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset resulted in leadership’s identification of the need to transform the first floor West Wing into a state-of- the-art inpatient unit for their nationally recognized eating disorders program. This session will share outcomes from in-depth collaborative sessions with leadership, staff, and the design team, resulting in the mission and principles for their new eating disorder unit. Learn about the unique challenges in designing for eating disorders as well as addressing the separation of commingled adolescents and adults into separate areas, while offering a well-planned, welcoming, comforting, and safe behavioral health environment that supports state-of-the art treatment.
Observe how the design team generated a system of overlays to evaluate planning and design options that supported and reinforced the core principles and missions.
Apply principles of biophilia, circadian controlled lighting, and connection to nature to design supportive to the therapeutic process for eating disorders and mental health.
Learn about patient safety, anti-ligature, and self-harm prevention methods and ways to design a warm, comforting healing environment while maintaining FGI requirements.
See how a well-planned eating disorder unit can maintain a balance of open/closed, public/private, patients/staff, with open inviting spaces that promote patient and staff safety.
Renderings courtesy of DCC Design Group.