PDC Blog

PDC Midwest Receives Construction Award Hartland, WI...

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:24:00 -0600

PDC Midwest Receives Construction Award

Hartland, WI –Associated Builders & Contractors (ABC) of Wisconsin awarded PDC Midwest the Silver 2011 Projects of Distinction Award. PDC won the award for the design and construction of a 55,000 GSF radiation and medical oncology, internal medicine and diagnostic imaging center for Alpha Med Enterprise. Alpha Med Physicians Group, LLC is a multi-specialty physician group in Chicago’s southwest suburbs providing radiation and medical oncology services.

ABC of Wisconsin holds the Projects of Distinction Awards Program yearly. “Every year our judges remark on how the projects being submitted are greater than the past year. I think that is a testament to the members of ABC of Wisconsin.” says Chris Reinhart, marketing director for ABC of Wisconsin. Dennis Spindler, vice president of PDC remarked “The competition is stiff but we are honored again to receive such a great compliment for our work.”

PDC is an Architecture, Engineering, Interior Design, and Construction firm known nationally for its work in senior care communities, diagnostic imaging, cancer centers and other technology based healthcare developments. PDC has over 40 professionals with diverse backgrounds in the senior care and healthcare markets. The firm’s headquarters reside in Hartland, WI. PDC Midwest Inc., is an architect and engineer owned professional services firm that specializes in senior living, healthcare and commercial planning, architecture, engineering, interior design, furniture & equipment planning, and construction services. PDC’s specialization in the development of health and elderly care facilities includes nationwide experience and has resulted in the development of several million square feet of projects in twenty states over the last sixteen years. PDC is headquartered in Hartland, Wisconsin.

Alpha Med Enterprises Expansion

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:10:00 -0600

Tinley Park, IL – Alpha Med Enterprises completed a new 55,000 outpatient cancer treatment facility in 2011. Six months after the facility opened Alpha Med experienced exceptional demand for their outpatient cancer treatment services and determined expansion was needed for additional patient services. PDC had completed the design and construction for the original medical office building and was contracted to complete the new addition.

To expedite the development schedule, Alpha Med and PDC determined that a modular shielding design would be advantageous to the function, cost and timetable. The modular shielding used less space, allowed a direct patient into the procedure room, and allowed unimpeded installation during winter months. This solution resulted in a substantial cost and time savings compared with conventional concrete construction

Construction is underway with completion expected in May 2012 without any disruption to the current cancer treatment services.

PDC Midwest Inc., is an architect and engineer owned professional services firm that specializes in the design/build of senior living, healthcare and commercial facilities. PDC’s specialization in the development of healthcare, elderly care and biotechnology manufacturing facilities includes nationwide experience and has resulted in the development of several million square feet of projects in forty five states; including Canada, Puerto Rico, Brazil, China, Russia, Germany and Mexico.

PDC Midwest, Inc. Hires New Design Associate

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:53:00 -0600

Hartland, WI – Today PDC Midwest, Inc. announced its recent hire of Scott Hatton as a Design Associate.

Scott will be responsible for coordination between the designer and construction through CAD drafting, 3D renderings and construction documents. He will report directly to VP of Architecture, Peter Johntson.

Scott was previously employed at another area architecture firm as a Project Manager and has over 12 years experience in architecture. Scott is also an artist, painter and designer and brings many talents to PDC Midwest.

Scott graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee with a Bachelor of Science Architectural Studies and a minor in art.

PDC has over 40 professionals with diverse backgrounds in the senior care and healthcare markets. The firm’s headquarters reside in Hartland, WI.

PDC Midwest, Inc. Hires New Business Development Coordinator

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:46:00 -0600

Hartland, WI – Today PDC Midwest, Inc. announced its recent hire of Michelle A. Peterson as Business Development Coordinator.

Michelle will be responsible for the coordination of all marketing and sales activities for the firm and will report directly to the President, Bob Gummer.

Michelle was previously employed as Marketing Director for one of the area’s largest and leading municipal engineering firms, and prior to that she spent nearly ten years in marketing leadership roles for credit unions. She also worked in television broadcasting for three years.

Michelle graduated cum laude from Olivet College, Olivet, Michigan with a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and has attended Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design.

PDC has over 40 professionals with diverse backgrounds in the senior care and healthcare markets. The firm’s headquarters reside in Hartland, WI.

“LEAN” PLANNING IS THE KEY FOR HEALTH CARE DEVELOPMENT...

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:03:00 -0600

“LEAN” PLANNING IS THE KEY

FOR HEALTH CARE DEVELOPMENT EFFICIENCY & COST SAVINGS

5 Strategies for Health Care Providers

Every healthcare provider is faced with the challenges of a health care system in turmoil. There are physician shortages, reduced reimbursement and funding, increased regulatory challenges, demands for higher patient care quality and a general uneasiness about healthcare reform. If higher quality care is going to be required, but reimbursement for the services is going to be reduced: then new sources of efficiency and cost savings will need to be identified and implemented.

A significant key to higher efficiencies and cost savings is the process of Planning in the early stages of a project. This is a comprehensive Planning of all aspects of development prior to any design activities. Strong planning efforts establish the road map to guide future design and avoid inefficient redesign. By establishing “Lean” planning efforts it sets the stage for a Lean delivery process though out the life of the project.

The following chart illustrates the facility development process and the declining opportunity to influence costs as the process unfolds. Even the best of teams have to be wary of impatience and the desire to design the facility too soon; resulting in a stifling of the crucial planning process.

A new awareness and appreciation for the value of “Planning and Programming” is emerging during this recent paradigm shift in healthcare delivery. This activity should include the following five essential components:

1 Conduct a strategic evaluation of the anticipated development.

Sometimes an organization’s mission, philosophy and vision evolve and morph without interim redirection or planning. Should they be analyzed and realigned with new market forces and delivery expectations? Are your Board and Senior Management responding to current operations in a coordinated and cooperative manner that supports success? Will the anticipated development fit your organizational goals and build upon its strengths?

2 Develop a detailed development program.

Programming is a planning tool that studies a future facility’s use and quantifies its potential contents based upon that use. It is more than a list of spaces and areas. Programming is an analytical process that matches health care services strategy with functional uses that support that strategy. The methodology should remove personal opinions and replace them with logical, business based analyses. Any programming discussions that contain the phrase “I like…” indicates a personalization of the efforts and lack of strategic focus.

3 Develop a functional relationships study based upon strategy.

The physical relationship of one space to another has a major impact on the functionality and efficiency of a new development. For example, if part of a health care provider’s strategy is patient-centered delivery; should a physician’s personal preference for arranging examination rooms around their personal office prevail at the expense of patient convenience?

4 Establish evidence based best practices that match health care outcomes to design responses.

Part of a health care provider’s strategic planning should be the determination of the quality of health care outcomes expected from the new development. Reduction of patient falls, increased staff efficiency, reduction of infections, increased revenue, etc. are all strategic health care outcomes that should be identified and paired with programmatic design responses to support the intended outcomes.

5 Test the anticipated costs and financial impact of the projected development.

As the planning process takes form, realistic preliminary budgeting of the development should be created based upon prior experience and empirical data rather than ill-defined or uncategorized “safe” amounts that might be padded to satisfy personal agendas. Budgeting should include a comprehensive consideration of all hard and soft development costs that the project will incur from start to finish. A preliminary pro forma model should then be developed as a viability tool to measure the financial impact of the project as it progresses though the design process.

The assistance of an experienced health care facility developer during the planning phase is an invaluable asset to an organization’s success in determining the best cost-controlled solution to meet intended strategic goals. Please feel free to contact me to discuss how strategic facility planning can contribute to your organization’s success. I can be reached at Wtaylor@pdcmidwest.com.

A REPOSITIONING STRATEGY FOR SENIOR COMMUNITIES The current...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 11:13:00 -0600

A REPOSITIONING STRATEGY FOR SENIOR COMMUNITIES

The current business climate for today’s senor care providers is complex and contains increasing risks. More stringent regulatory controls, increasing operating costs, staff retainage, and a seemingly unpredictable senior market are among the daily challenges facing senior management.

Attracting an emerging or shifting senior market with static, inflexible community facilities is often a source of declining occupancies and eroding revenue. A building developed 10, 20, or 30 years ago was designed to serve market expectations of that time – not today. Senior demands are constantly changing and often move away from the premises which created an older community. How can a community adapt to meet new and future senior expectations?

A successful strategy for repositioning an existing senior community is composed of seven basic phases in an integrated, market centered process.

1 Develop a Strategic Plan that answers the questions of:

Who we are?
What is our mission?
What are we doing and how?
What must change?
How do we get there?

2 If change is needed, select an Experienced Development Team and incorporate an integrated project delivery with representatives for:

Market Research, Operations, Financing, Physical Improvements

3 Market Analysis should begin the study process for executing the Strategic Plan and include:

Demographic Study, Competition Evaluations, Senior Market Attitudes
Quantification of Emerging Senior Market Demands

4 Community Planning based upon the market analysis findings would incorporate:

Experienced Design with Evidence Based Criteria
Facility Improvements to Meet Market Expectations
Enhanced Building and Site Design
Furniture and Equipment Planning
Alternatives and Future Steps

5 Determine Investment Viability with the synthesis of:

Improvement Budgets
Projected Financial Performance
Lender Search
Loan Capacity

6 Test the Market Assumptions

Present Improvement Plans to Focus Groups
Develop Select Groups for Feedback
Acquire Perceptions and Attitudes to Fine Tune Approach

7 Capture the Market Quickly

Execute Before the Competition
Finalized Design Modifications
Logical Competitive Bidding Experienced Construction
Marketing During Construction

PDC has assisted dozens of senior communities across the country with developments to protect and acquire market positions. If you would like to discuss how PDC might assist your planning efforts, please feel free to contact me directly at 262-367-7772 or email RGummer@PDCmidwest.com

PDC Midwest, Inc. Receives Construction Award Hartland, WI...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:58:00 -0600

PDC Midwest, Inc. Receives Construction Award

PDC has over 40 professionals with diverse backgrounds in the senior care and healthcare markets. The firm’s headquarters reside in Hartland, WI.

PDC Midwest Inc., is an architect and engineer owned professional services firm that specializes in senior living, healthcare and commercial planning, architecture, engineering, interior design, furniture & equipment planning, and construction services.

Economic Recovery Repositioning for Senior Care Providers Every...

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:20:00 -0600

Economic Recovery Repositioning for Senior Care Providers

Every business is dealing with challenges from the Great Recession and senior care providers are no exception. Add the uncertainty from health care reform, declining home sales with inaccessible equity, a sluggish senior market, and most providers find themselves searching for a clearer crystal ball. Experts say that the worst is behind us and better days are ahead. While this view can be argued, it is clear that a different paradigm for senior care is emerging and planning for the future should include five key issues:

1 Conduct a strategic re-evaluation of your business.

Sometimes an organization’s mission, philosophy and vision evolve without interim redirection or planning. Should they be analyzed and aligned with new market forces and delivery expectations? Are your Board and Senior Management responding to current operations in a coordinated and cooperative manner that supports success?

2 Consider the impact of generational market shift.

The Baby Boomer’s impact to senior care during the last few years has been primarily to influence decisions of their parents. Generational shift is a dynamic, constantly changing market force that has an acute affect to providers. When will Baby Boomers become senior care users and Generation Y begin to impact decision making in your service area? Does your market’s future generational alignment match your service and facility offerings?

3 Determine if aging-In-place has emerged as a critical planning challenge.

Health acuity needs naturally increase for senior residents and an entrenched reluctance for relocation emerges gradually over time. Can your operations accommodate those needs and will your facilities comply with building codes and other regulatory requirements for higher levels of health care services?

4 Evaluate operation cost efficiencies and market competitiveness.

Operational cost efficiency is more than a temporary survival technique during recessionary times – it has become a market expectation. Are you prepared for the “less for more” expectations arising from the economic recovery? Does your business model reflect the expectations of your senior care market and are your facilities helping or hindering your efforts?

5Innovate to increase market access and revenue opportunities.

Think out-of-the-box regarding new business acquisition. Do your discharges or resident requests suggest a new business opportunity? Are you now providing free additional services that could be formally structured to enhance income? Are there diversification or expansion strategies that could both mitigate risk and offer new revenue streams?

Consulting with an experienced senior care facility developer may be of assistance at this crucial time in your organization’s planning. Please feel free to contact me, Bob Gummer at rgummer@pdcmidwest.com, to discuss how strategic facility planning can contribute to your organization’s success.

Hillview Terrace Hillview Terrace, a recently completed project...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:19:00 -0600

Hillview Terrace

Hillview Terrace, a recently completed project by PDC, held their grand opening ceremony in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Over 100 guests attended the ceremony and were able to tour the senior campus. PDC provided design and architectural services for the client, La Crosse County, for a new 30-unit assisted living (RCAC).

The new 2-story, 29,000 GSF building was master planned on the existing health care campus which features an independent living building and skilled nursing facility. The assisted living community is a welcome addition providing a continuum of care within the campus grounds. The building features a community dining room and resident gathering spaces such as a solarium, club room, game room, a fitness center and spa, a salon and country store.

The project was overseen by Bob Gummer, principal and president of PDC. The project team included Chris Vecitis, Justin Marshall and Nancy Mooney. Please direct any questions about this project to info@pdcmidwest.