Darlene Guynes, MHA, Senior director of clinic operations, Austin Regional Clinic (Austin, Texas)
During her nearly 30 years with Austin Regional Clinic (ARC; Austin, Texas), Darlene Guynes has contributed significantly to the growth of one of the largest multidisciplinary healthcare providers in Central Texas. She became director of clinic operations in 2019 and was promoted to senior director in 2022, a role in which she has overseen an array of facility openings, helping the organization grow to more than 35 clinics across 15 cities.
With her skillset, she manages the design and operational needs of numerous clinical, laboratory, and specialty service facilities. Recently, Guynes and her team played a critical role in the healthcare organization’s expansion in specialty surgery care, guiding the planning, development, and construction of ARC’s first two ambulatory surgery centers, both anticipated to open by the end of 2025.
Her leadership guided both projects through multiple iterations of project planning and supported the inclusion of advanced robotics, additional operating rooms, and new facility leadership—all the while managing and solving project-specific challenges.
For example, for the South Surgery project, a 65,000-square-foot multidisciplinary clinic and surgery center, she helped develop creative solutions to a complicated site with ongoing programmatic changes. Her iterative process included alternative massing concepts, multiple parking strategies, and the redevelopment of neighboring properties acquired during the project.
Through her advocacy, the project also is pursuing Austin Energy Green Building Certification to become a flagship facility for ARC that will showcase sustainable design principles to support community health outcomes.
Additionally, her guidance has led to operational efficiencies and standardization in ARC’s new multidisciplinary clinics and surgery centers. On one project, Medical Plaza Specialty in Cedar Park, Texas, the original program called for dedicated support spaces for each specialty; however, after additional analysis and review with key stakeholders, Guynes educated stakeholders on the benefits of combining staff workstations and support spaces to improve functionality and provide space for growth within the facility without vertical or horizontal expansion, principles that are now being implemented with all new ARC projects.
By balancing financial metrics, stakeholder engagement, and programmatic goals, Guynes continues to make an impact by not only improving ARC’s facilities but enhancing healthcare services and care access in Central Texas.
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