Preeta Bajaj
Vice President and Senior Medical PlannerHKSPreeta Bajaj is an Architect, Senior Medical Planner, and Vice President at HKS Architects with over 15 years of healthcare design experience. She holds a master’s degree in Interior Design from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the School of Planning and Architecture in India. Certified in Lean Six Sigma Yellow Belt and Evidence-Based Design, Preeta leads healthcare master planning and project delivery worldwide. She advocates for empathetic, research-driven design that enhances patient, staff, and operational outcomes, while actively mentoring and contributing to the healthcare design community.
E79 – Designing Access to Care: Research-Driven Responses to Healthcare Deserts
Healthcare deserts, geographic areas with limited or delayed access to essential healthcare services, continue to expand across the US, particularly i…Healthcare deserts, geographic areas with limited or delayed access to essential healthcare services, continue to expand across the US, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Addressing these gaps requires coordinated solutions that align…Healthcare deserts, geographic areas with limited or delayed access to essential healthcare services, continue to expand across the US, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Addressing these gaps requires coordinated solutions that align planning, design, technology and operations. This session presents a research-informed exploration of how healthcare design can improve access, safety and outcomes through two complementary case stud…Healthcare deserts, geographic areas with limited or delayed access to essential healthcare services, continue to expand across the US, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Addressing these gaps requires coordinated solutions that align planning, design, technology and operations. This session presents a research-informed exploration of how healthcare design can improve access, safety and outcomes through two complementary case studies: Sanford Health’s Virtual Care Center & Reid Health’s rural care delivery model. Drawing on applied research related to access to care, workforce sustainability and social determinants of health, the presenters demonstrate how purpose-built environments and right-sized facilities extend care beyond traditional hospital campuses. We'll examine how centralized virtual care hubs expand specialty access and provider education, while community-integrated facilities strengthen continuity of care and operational resilience. Attendees will gain evidence-based design strategies to improve patient access, support caregivers and enable flexible, scalable healthcare delivery across geographies.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
