The 2026 Healthcare Design Conference + Expo, set for Oct. 17-20 in New Orleans, will begin with a full day of preconference activities, including facility tours and workshops. Here’s a look at what’s in store:
2026 HCD Conference + Expo facility tours
As part of the preconference programming on Saturday, Oct. 17, attendees can experience local healthcare facilities. Tours run from 1-5 p.m. and are limited in size. To register, visit hcdexpo.com.
T01 – The Robert J. and Debra H. Patrick Neuroscience Center
Opening in fall 2026, the Debra H. and Robert J. Patrick Neuroscience Center supports 25 neurological and psychological specialties, rehabilitation, and behavioral health in a new 5-story building at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans. The tour includes insights from leaders at Ochsner Health (New Orleans), who will share how human-centered design, technology integration, and partnerships support patient experience, staff resilience, and long-range campus planning.
T02 – Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine
The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM) is a planned medical school in downtown New Orleans, formed through a partnership between Ochsner Health and Xavier University of Louisiana (New Orleans). Presenters, including XOCOM leadership, Ochsner facilities development, and the project design team, will highlight how technology integration and modern medical school design principles support learning, collaboration, and innovation among students, faculty, and healthcare professionals.
T03 – Thibodaux Regional Cancer Institute
In 2021, Thibodaux Regional Health System in Thibodaux, La., replaced its single-story cancer center with a new 4-story tower built around linear accelerator (LINAC) vaults that remained operational throughout construction. The facility brings together radiation therapy, chemotherapy and infusion, medical oncology, diagnostics, lab, pharmacy, chapel, and conference space in one center. The building highlights open planning strategies, patient-centered spaces, custom artwork, and a communal approach to infusion treatment.
T04 – East Jefferson General Hospital
East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) is the largest public hospital in Jefferson Parish, serving a diverse suburban community adjacent to New Orleans. Following LCMC Health’s acquisition of Tulane Medical Center, the health system embarked on an ambitious effort to transition many of Tulane’s academic teaching functions from downtown New Orleans to the EJGH campus in Metairie, La. Attendees will learn about the strategic campus transformation, including adapting an active hospital while integrating new academic and clinical functions.
- Bonus presentation: Attendees can learn more about the project during the conference session “E16 – Many Teams, One Campus: Fast-Track Integration of a Teaching and Community Hospital,” scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Speakers will share best practices for managing complexity, mitigating risk, and fostering collaboration, offering practical takeaways on navigating fast-track delivery in active healthcare environments.
2026 HCD Conference + Expo workshops
In addition to facility tours, two workshops will be held on Saturday, Oct. 17. These in-depth and interactive sessions provide an opportunity for attendees to learn about hospital outpatient department designation and the future of healthcare project delivery. For more information and to register, visit hcdexpo.com.
W01 – HOPD Designation: What It Really Means for Surgery Center Planning & Design, 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Speakers: Tara Jernigan, nurse executive, Northeast Georgia Medical Center; Robert Masters, principal, CannonDesign
Presented by the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design (NIHD), this highly interactive four-hour workshop will explore the real-world implications of hospital outpatient department (HOPD) and ambulatory surgery center (ASC) designation across planning, design, operations, and revenue cycle. Participants will examine how regulatory frameworks (FGI, NFPA 99/101, CMS provider-based rules) influence everything from occupancy classification and essential electrical systems to patient flow, sterile processing, and survey readiness.
W02 – What’s Next? The Future of Healthcare Project Delivery, 3-5 p.m.
Speakers: Kurt Neubek, principal and healthcare director, Page, Now Stantec; Srishti Chadha, senior preconstruction manager, McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.; Deb Sheehan, healthcare strategy leader, DPR Construction; Sam Werschky, assistant vice president, planning, design & construction, Cook Children’s Health Care System; Dave Kistel, VP & chief facilities executive, Lee Health
In this forward-looking conversation, speakers will explore the future of healthcare project delivery, including emerging delivery models, high-performing teams, AI and digital tools, prefabrication, modular construction, and lessons from other industries that are delivering complex projects faster and smarter. Attendees will receive candid insights, real-world examples, and practical ideas they can use on their next project.
To register for preconference tours and workshops, go here.
Find updates and additional information on the 2026 HCD Conference + Expo here.