Ronald Lesher
Associate Vice President of Project DeliveryGeisinger Health systemRon Lesher is the Associate Vice President of Project Delivery at Geisinger Health System, a founding member of Risant Health. In his 12+ years with the Health System, Ron has worked in multiple roles of project delivery including cost estimating, pre-construction services, project management and he now oversees project delivery for the entire system. Ron is currently leading the simultaneous design and construction of two major acute care expansions totaling an investment of nearly $1.7B in the Pennsylvania communities that Geisinger serves. Ron has a Bachelor of Science in Construction Management from the Pennsylvania College of Technology.
E03 – When Healthcare Scales Up: Designing Without Erasing Place And Community
As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pre…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session exa…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session examines how healthcare design can mediate this tension—supporting operational consistency at scale while reinforcing a hospital’s enduring relationship with its community. The South Tower at Geisinger’s…As healthcare organizations consolidate into large, national networks, hospitals with deep roots in rural and regional communities face increasing pressure to align with system-wide standards while preserving a strong local identity. This session examines how healthcare design can mediate this tension—supporting operational consistency at scale while reinforcing a hospital’s enduring relationship with its community. The South Tower at Geisinger’s Danville campus serves as a case study in embedding community values within a consolidated system context. Developed during Geisinger’s merger with Kaiser Permanente to form Risant Health, the project demonstrates how planning, architecture, interior design, and landscape can collectively express local identity while meeting contemporary clinical and operational requirements. Design strategies include a shift to single-patient rooms, emergency department planning informed by regional care patterns, and a patient experience framework rooted in familiarity and place. Interior environments incorporate local and regional landscape references, community imagery, archival photography, and curated artifacts reflecting the institution’s history. The landscape design extends this narrative through healing gardens that integrate salvaged architectural relics from former campus buildings. This session offers attendees practical insights into designing healthcare environments that balance system-level integration with community-specific expression—ensuring hospitals remain recognizable, trusted, and meaningful to the communities they serve amid ongoing consolidationShow MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More
