Healthcare Planning, Architecture, Demographic Mapping: Meet Daniel Frum
We at Jensen Partners are proud to have built a team of exceptional leaders in the healthcare planning space and would like to introduce you to our team through in-depth conversations about innovative approaches to medical planning.
Kicking off our series, please meet Daniel Frum, Senior Project Manager. Daniel completed his Masters of Architecture at Washington State University and B.A. in Geography at the University of Washington. We spoke with Daniel about the path that brought him to Jensen Partners and important directions for healthcare.
How did you get started in architecture, and what is your journey of arriving at Jensen Partners?
I grew up in Seattle, and my father is an architect, actually specializing in healthcare. I worked with him after college and went on to complete my graduate degree in architecture. I then worked in commercial design and came to Los Angeles with my wife, who was doing an Internal Medicine residency at UCLA. I wanted to find unique work, and L.A. is a big market with great opportunities. Everything about Jensen Partners appealed to me, and I was excited to re-engage in healthcare professionally. I found out about its work through its excellent reputation and word of mouth, as it is a boutique firm.
After interviewing with and meeting Sarah, Tom and Frances, I knew this was the place for me. During another interview with my architect colleague Damir, he asked whether I was aware that JP is not an exclusively architecture firm. He wanted me to understand that this was an opportunity to explore aspects of healthcare beyond design exclusively. I had to sit and think for a few seconds before acknowledging how interesting that sounded. I am really glad I wanted to develop expertise in areas beyond architecture, because I think what I come to realize is, even though the architecture profession runs in my family, I see myself beyond the traditional definition of an architect. I’m driven by big picture work that we do, specifically long-term planning and strategy.
Incorporating flexibility into our work makes sense for the future of healthcare, as you can stay nimble and competitive. That, to me, is fascinating about our work at Jensen Partners. Although I still value the importance of well thought-out architectural plans and programs, I see design as one piece of many that makes healthcare solutions successful in an entire community.
What are some big ideas in the future of healthcare planning that are interesting to you and relevant in your work?
One of my strengths is mapping and demographic data analysis, as I think looking at the physical context layered with information is extremely valuable. I am interested in analyzing attributes that may not be immediately evident to those only considering physical characteristics.
Fascinating! What is demographic mapping in healthcare?
Demographic mapping is used to illustrate trends within a community to drive decision-making for the future. These trends could be directly related to health, such as age or payor mix.
It is something we should continue building on. How we use it as a planning tool is also somewhat of a shifting area. For instance, if we go to a hospital or healthcare system and discuss the client’s service area, demographic mapping allows us to look at data and information about who the patients and their needs are. Some of this information is known to healthcare systems and hospitals, but most are new.
What we bring in our team is the analysis of how demographic mapping plays into decision making. With that, we understand that decision makers are not going to want master plans built strictly around that information; however, the tool is very valuable for identifying what value specifically means. It’s a crucial tool that opens up more questions than answers, and our work is to provide tangible value through solutions.
That sounds very impactful. What are some other strategic elements you frequently consider during your project planning process?
In our healthcare system, many decisions are based upon where the regulations and reimbursements are, and obviously a lot has shifted very quickly during COVID-19. The hope would be that some of these more progressive shifts for reimbursement, such as telehealth, stay permanent and continue. A lot of times, we build strategy around the current market reality , but there is a fine line when preparing for the next step. We want to balance between being prepared and not losing money waiting for that next transition to happen. We work on making sustainable decisions for hospitals and healthcare systems to thrive. The thought process you go through when doing master planning in projects has to address current needs of clients while preparing them for their future model with a sustainable footing.
Along those lines, with most recent changes during COVID-19, we continue to enact larger strategies for physical planning. For example, what does that look like with high percentages of people working from home? We think about how the space will be used differently and provide solutions for flexible use of space. From cleaning schedules changing to inpatient-outpatient separation, we deeply consider how our clients will be prepared for the next iteration of healthcare challenges.
What are some unique ways Jensen Partners creates effective, valuable master plans?
For each master plan, there are various parties coming together from disparate perspectives. Identifying individual concerns and ideas, while coming up with solutions collectively, rather than unilaterally, ensures the building of trust so that the master plan moves forward with support at every level. This is key to continued engagement and delivering plans that are actually of value to our clients.
When we create a larger plan, it’s about working with and communicating with leaders to understand the big picture together and ensure our clients are not getting in their own way. We make sure that every step in the planning process is progressive towards reaching an overarching strategic goal.
You’ve mentioned the impact of the leadership team at Jensen Partners. Could you share a bit about what it’s like working here?
Jensen Partners offers a workplace to implement new ideas and innovative solutions regardless of the contributor, in contrast to more hierarchical workplaces.
This speaks to the culture that Sarah and Frances have built. Their experiences are so complementary: Sarah coming from a design and construction background, and Frances having a more operational and clinical perspective. The way that they communicate is in fact poetic, because they are uniquely in sync. They bring the big picture and the fine details. Sarah is inspiring for her leadership and ability to identify the big picture. Frances can answer any specific question for all aspects of hospital operations. It’s really been a pleasure to work alongside them at the office as well as on-site. We work with clients across the country working with various cultural constituencies, and Sarah and Frances have taught me to communicate effectively to distinct audiences and as well as consider projects at different scales and perspectives.
Thank you, Daniel. We have one last question: How does having a physician spouse affect your work in healthcare planning?
Being alongside my wife through her years in medical school, residency, and now a provider as an Internist has been quite humbling. I think it’s important to consider the amount of work and devotion that is required to care for patients while we come up with long-term solutions for care spaces. As I work with clinicians and staff, I remain aware of their unique value and plan for spaces with the same level of intentionality and seriousness.
Thank you so much, Daniel! We are eager to see your contributions and are excited for what you’ll continue bringing to your clients and to your team.
