Making Veterans Administration healthcare projects “better planned, better delivered” is the new goal of the VA’s Office of Construction and Facilities Management, according to Executive Director Stella S. Fiotes, AIA.
CFM plans, designs, and constructs (with the help of private-sector AEC consultants, of course) all VA projects greater than $10 million in value. The office has responsibility for design construction standards, sustainability, seismic corrections, historic preservation, and physical security.
The VA has a massive portfolio—151 hospitals, 827 community-based outpatient clinics, and 300 veterans’ centers, Fiotes told attendees at the recent American College of Healthcare Architects/AIA Academy of Architecture for Health (ACHA/AAH) Summer Leadership Summit in Chicago. Nearly two-thirds of its facilities are more than 60 years old, and 30% have a historic designation or could qualify for one.Fiotes said the VA is in the midst of a major policy shift, from “figuring out what’s broken and fixing it as much as possible”—a strictly brick-and-mortar approach—to “figuring out what services veterans need and adapting service-delivery models, facilities, and funding distribution to better meet those needs.”
The new policy, known as VA Facilities Management Integrated Planning, is directed at addressing such concerns as the need to right-size facilities based not only on where veterans are today, but where they’ll be in the future, given that many older veterans are expected to move to the warmer regions of the U.S.
Fiotes said the VA is also looking to forge affiliations with public agencies, universities, and healthcare organizations as a way to stretch its capital investment budget. Serving the healthcare needs of veterans in rural areas remains a persistent concern, she said, as does the need for the VA to promote wellness and disease prevention for its clients.
Another major initiative: the Patient-Aligned Care Team. “Primary care is the foundation of VA healthcare delivery,” said Fiotes. PACT is designed to provide “one-stop” patient-centered care through coordinated “teamlets” consisting of a physician, a nurse, an LPN or technician, and a clerk, along with a clinical pharmacist, a dietitian, and a social worker. “No clinics have been designed based on this model, but we’re working on it,” said Fiotes. “We believe they can save 15-20% on costs.”
As for sustainability, Fiotes said all VA projects must earn at least LEED Silver or two Green Globes; every project is evaluated for the feasibility of using renewable energy. Structural resilience, particularly against the threat of rising sea levels or a tsunami, has become a priority as well.
Eight major VA projects—in Las Vegas, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, San Antonio, San Diego, Cape Coral, Fla., and two in Biloxi, Miss.—will undergo post-occupancy evaluation this fiscal year to determine how well the buildings are meeting the needs of veterans and healthcare providers. Starting in FY 2014, all major projects will experience POEs within 18-24 months of occupancy.
Two innovation programs—selected from over 450 suggestions from Veterans Health Administration employees—are under way: the development of standardized designs for outpatient clinics, and research on making wayfinding in VA facilities consistent across the board.
Fiotes ended her talk to ACHA/AAH attendees on a tempting note: “We have over $6 billion in projects that have been identified and need to be acted on.”
Read our full report from the ACHA/AAH Summit.
Related Stories
Market Data | Aug 2, 2022
Nonresidential construction spending falls 0.5% in June, says ABC
National nonresidential construction spending was down by 0.5% in June, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors analysis of data published today by the U.S. Census Bureau.
K-12 Schools | Aug 1, 2022
Achieving a net-zero K-12 facility is a team effort
Designing a net-zero energy building is always a challenge, but renovating an existing school and applying for grants to make the project happen is another challenge entirely.
Healthcare Facilities | Aug 1, 2022
New Phoenix VA outpatient clinic is one of the largest veteran care facilities in the U.S.
The new Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic, spanning roughly 275,000 sf over 15 acres, is one of the largest veteran care facilities in the U.S.
Codes and Standards | Jul 29, 2022
Few projects and properties are being built beyond code
Clients and architects disagree on how well building to code provides resilience, according to a recent report by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in partnership with Owens Corning.
Headquarters | Jul 29, 2022
Nike HQ’s newest, largest structure: the Serena Williams Building
In Beaverton, Ore., the new Serena Williams Building, at just over 1 million square feet, is the largest structure at Nike World Headquarters.
| Jul 28, 2022
Fanning Howey hires Dennis Bane, AIA, as Project Executive
Fanning Howey, an architecture, interiors and engineering firm specializing in learning environments, has hired Dennis Bane, AIA, ALEP, to serve as a Project Executive for the firm’s Indianapolis office.
Multifamily Housing | Jul 28, 2022
GM working to make EV charging accessible to multifamily residents
General Motors, envisioning a future where electric vehicles will be commonplace, is working to boost charging infrastructure for those who live in multifamily residences.
Urban Planning | Jul 28, 2022
A former military base becomes a substation with public amenities
On the site of a former military base in the Hunters Point neighborhood of San Francisco, a new three-story substation will house critical electrical infrastructure to replace an existing substation across the street.
Hotel Facilities | Jul 28, 2022
As travel returns, U.S. hotel construction pipeline growth follows
According to the recently released United States Construction Pipeline Trend Report from Lodging Econometrics (LE), the total U.S. construction pipeline stands at 5,220 projects/621,268 rooms at the close of 2022’s second quarter, up 9% Year-Over-Year (YOY) by projects and 4% YOY by rooms.
Codes and Standards | Jul 27, 2022
Biden administration proposes drastic flood insurance reform
The Biden administration’s proposed major overhaul to the National Flood Insurance Program, or NFIP, would drastically alter how Americans protect homes and businesses against flooding.
