2024 HCD Forum

Tree-topped mountains, blue skies, and crisp fall air greeted attendees at the eighth annual Healthcare Design Forum held at The Lodge at Spruce Peak in Stowe, Vt., Sept. 4-6, 2024.

Bringing together Healthcare Design’s Editorial Advisory Board, invited attendees, and sponsors, the annual event features keynote speakers, panel sessions, small group breakouts, and networking events.

The year’s event kicked off with a team-building activity which challenged teams to compete in Vermont-themed activities, including wood stacking, maple syrup tasting, and avalanche beacon search and knot tying.

Forum featured keynote speaker Heather Berlin

Featured keynote speaker Heather Berlin, a cognitive neuroscientist and host of PBS Nova’s “Your Brain,” opened the second day with a discussion on “The Human Brain and It’s Future: How to Make Your Brain More Creative, Productive, and Effective.” During her presentation, she told attendees that learning to let go of thinking about oneself and going with the flow can lead to creativity.

Noting that there’s still much to learn about the brain, she says that future focuses could look at how to use deep brain stimulation for cognitive enhancement. “As our understanding of the brain evolves, our ability to enhance it will, too.”

The day’s agenda also included a presentation of Healthcare Design’s 2024 A/E/C Survey by Brand Director Jennifer Kovacs Silvis, followed by a panel discussion with industry leaders, who provided content on the project trends as well as industry opportunities and challenges that the survey captures.

HCD Forum highlights

Additional highlights of the event included an owners’ panel discussion on managing fiscal responsibility, dinner at local Idletyme Brewing Company (with a visit from the Ben & Jerry’s ice cream truck for dessert), the annual HCD 10 awards dinners at Spruce Base Camp, sponsored by La-Z-Boy Healthcare / Knú, and an afterparty on the resort property.

A big thank you to the 2024 Forum sponsors, including Carolina, Kevin Berry Art Advisory, Kimball, Kwalu, La-Z-Boy Healthcare, Mannington Commercial, Shaw Contract, Tarkett, Whitehall Manufacturing, and Wolf Gordon.

Enjoy the slideshow above for scenes from the 2024 event. Find updates on the 2025 HCD Forum here.

Anne DiNardo is editor-in-chief of Healthcare Design. She can be reached at [email protected].