Join DLR Group at the 2026 Healthcare Facilities Symposium and Expo to explore innovative approaches that connect healthcare, community, and design to improve health outcomes and create healing environments. Through sessions led by Heena Santry, MD, MBA, Hans Papke, AIA, NCARB, and Bryce Shirley, attendees will gain insights into social prescribing, community-led engagement, behavioral health design, and culturally responsive care environments.

Drawing on real-world case studies, the presentations examine how healthcare organizations can address social determinants of health, strengthen community partnerships, integrate trauma-informed design principles, and create spaces that support patient wellbeing, staff resilience, and long-term population health. Participants will leave with practical strategies for leveraging planning, design, and collaboration to advance health equity, improve care experiences, and position the built environment as an active contributor to healing and wellness.

Bridging Healthcare and Community: Implementing Social Prescribing to Transform US Health Systems

• Monday, Sept., 29 | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM

  Senior Medical Planner Heena Santry, MD, MBA

  Social determinants of health, including isolation, food insecurity, limited transportation, and reduced access to community resources, significantly influence patient outcomes yet often remain outside traditional healthcare delivery models. This session explores how social prescribing, an emerging approach that connects patients with community-based supports, can help health systems improve wellbeing and reduce barriers to care. Heena Santry, MD, MBA, principal and senior healthcare planner at DLR Group, will draw on her experience as a physician, public health scientist, and healthcare planner to discuss strategies for integrating social determinants into care planning and the built environment.

  Attendees will gain insights into how healthcare organizations can leverage design, planning, and community partnerships to create healthier, more connected communities while advancing population health outcomes.

Listen First: Community-Led Design for Healing Environments

• Monday, July 20 | 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

  Senior Designer Hans Papke, AIA, NCARB and Healthcare Design Leader Bryce Shirley

  Community engagement can play a critical role in creating behavioral health environments that foster trust, dignity, and healing. This session explores how the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Journey to Recovery campus leveraged a community-led design process to shape a culturally grounded inpatient addiction recovery facility. Hans Papke, AIA, NCARB, design leader, and Bryce Shirley, healthcare design leader, will share how collaboration with community members, clinicians, and project partners informed decisions related to safety, circulation, materiality, daylight, staff wellbeing, and climate-responsive design.

  Attendees will gain practical insights into applying trauma-informed principles, cultural identity, and operational strategies to future behavioral health projects. Through real-world lessons learned, the session demonstrates how thoughtful engagement and design can reduce institutional character, strengthen clinical outcomes, and position the built environment as an active partner in the healing process.