
Emily Ward
Associate Chief Nursing OfficerUniversity of Iowa Health CareEmily Ward is Associate Chief Nursing Officer at University of Iowa Health Care’s North Liberty Campus. A nurse leader with experience from bedside to executive roles, she is passionate about shaping health systems that support patients and caregivers alike. She is active in professional organizations, shares her expertise at national and international forums, and was honored as one of the 100 Great Iowa Nurses and a 2024 Corridor Business Journal Forty Under 40. Emily enjoys activities with her family, being outdoors, and traveling to national parks. She has a strong community presence and enjoys volunteering as a coach for her children’s athletic teams.
E68 – Patient and Staff Experience Drives Evidence-Informed Design: From Foundational Insights to Measured Outcomes at the University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Campus
This session examines UI Health Care’s North Liberty Campus, an orthopedic hospital, emergency department, clinic, and the system’s first satellite ca…This session examines UI Health Care’s North Liberty Campus, an orthopedic hospital, emergency department, clinic, and the system’s first satellite campus, shaped by extensive patient and staff experience research as a foundational step in the design…This session examines UI Health Care’s North Liberty Campus, an orthopedic hospital, emergency department, clinic, and the system’s first satellite campus, shaped by extensive patient and staff experience research as a foundational step in the design process. The insights gathered in the initial research phase informed key design decisions, assessed through multiple post-occupancy evaluation sources to measure real-world outcomes. Key topics incl…This session examines UI Health Care’s North Liberty Campus, an orthopedic hospital, emergency department, clinic, and the system’s first satellite campus, shaped by extensive patient and staff experience research as a foundational step in the design process. The insights gathered in the initial research phase informed key design decisions, assessed through multiple post-occupancy evaluation sources to measure real-world outcomes. Key topics include addressing pain points in patient flow with intuitive wayfinding, enhancing privacy, safety, and comfort to support healing, and creating restorative environments to mitigate staff burnout and improve performance. Post-occupancy data includes measurable reductions in wait times, improved staff retention and engagement scores, enhanced patient experience scores, and more efficient care coordination. The presentation will demonstrate how human-centered research informed design strategies such as embedding moments of influence throughout the user journeys, optimizing workflows, and fostering connections in collaborative staff areas can deliver measurable improvements in care environments.Show MoreClick the title to see all detailsShow More