Michael Compton, AIA, ACHA, EDAC, LEED AP BD+CHealthcare Design LeaderRS&HOrlando, FL
How has ACHA certification enhanced your career in healthcare architecture and/or design?Board certification has the weight and breadth of a process that exceeds simple claims of knowledge. When the analogy to board-certified clinicians is applied, there is an immediate clarity of the credibility and confidence in my abilities to offer value to our clients.
What would you say to anyone interested in the field? Architecture is about placemaking. Those places are intended for occupation by people. If one’s intention is to provide a positive environment to live, work, and play, would it not stand to reason that the one place that could use more positivity is the one place where people are the most compromised, physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually. I cannot think of an environment that would have a greater impact on a positive experience for patients, providers, and families.
What led you to becoming ACHA certified?Being a firm believer in continuing education, I am keenly interested in the academic discourse that comes with likeminded folks. Also, I believe that healthcare architecture requires finer expertise and understanding of hospital operations and trends. Being certified further defines that expertise and creates a market differentiator when competing for work.
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you personally or your practice?WFH has been an absolute blessing personally, extended time with my family and young children that I would not have had otherwise. Professionally we have seen an uptick in our outpatient work, but a slow down or stoppage of inpatient work. One potential long-term effect may be the missed spontaneous opportunities to mentor our younger staff, which has declined as we become more challenged with “zoom fatigue”. We have been able to offer value to our clients ranging from unit re-configuration to COVID wards and establishing metrics for future development to accommodate acuity surges.
About You
Education: University of Florida, Bachelors of Design, 2001; Masters of Architecture, 2008
As the Healthcare Design Leader at RS&H, my primary role focuses on integrating research-based design with our 80+ years of technical expertise resulting in targeted/intelligent design solutions to the most enigmatic client problems. With over 20+ years of experience, I demonstrate the ability to absorb abstract problems, represent the problems with sets of multidisciplinary decision criteria for solutions guided with integrated clients, resulting in a collaborative project to exceed all expectations. Understanding the spoken objectives relative to program, code, and budget opportunities while interlacing industry-leading research and application of value-added design responses. The goal is to provide successful design solutions benefiting not only the client’s programmatic needs but the best healthcare space for patients, providers, and families.
Accomplishments
- 2017 Awards Gala 2016-2017 Project of the Year; GuideWell Innovation Center at Lake Nona (North Florida Chapter of IIDA)
- 2017 Awards Gala winner for Large Corporate Project; GuideWell Innovation Center at Lake Nona(North Florida Chapter of IIDA)
- Innovation by Design: 2016 Honorable Mention for Spaces, Places, Cities (GuideWell Innovation CoRE; Fastco.com)
- Finalist; 2015 Institute for Patient Centered Design Competition; Behavioral Health Inpatient Unit
- Merit Award: UF Health Jacksonville North, Jacksonville, FL (AIA Jacksonville)
- Finalist, 2014 Institute for Patient Centered Design Competition; Family-Centered Cancer Care Design Competition,
- Merit Award: Small Hospital, Big Idea Competition. Kaiser Permanente (AIA Jacksonville)
- Finalist: Kaiser Permanente Small Hospital, Big Idea Competition.
- Gresham Smith’s Commitment to Excellence Award
- HDR’s Pathfinders Award for Creativity
- Pathfinders Award for Excellence
- PENREN’s Award for Excellence; Pentagon Renovation program
Publications
- Oncology Centers Must Change As COVID-19 Threats Continue
- Regulatory environment in Florida for healthcare construction will be different POST-COVID; Academy of Architecture for Health
- Three Ways Data Drives Healthcare
- Why Your Next Healthcare Design Needs an ACHA Architect
- Rethinking ROI: Getting creative to balance financial, social and environmental needs; Medical Construction & Design