Jessica Valdez, Senior associate and healthcare planner, Page (Houston)

In her eight years in the healthcare design industry, Jessica Valdez has demonstrated versatility that makes her stand out—as an architect, designer, and healthcare planner on projects ranging from microhospitals to large-scale greenfield hospitals.

Graduating from the University of Houston with a bachelor’s degree in architecture, she joined EYP Architecture & Engineering (Albany, N.Y.) as an architectural designer in 2016 (EYP was acquired in 2022 by Page Southerland Page).

In 2018, she set out to pursue a path in healthcare planning and was promoted to senior associate in 2023. Outside of her project work, she is involved with the Women in Healthcare committee and in the Architecture Collegiate Scholarship and Mentorship Program, which is part of the AIA Latinos in Architecture committee, in Houston.

Drawn to the complexity of healthcare projects and the ability to be involved at each stage—from planning through design—Valdez has garnered experience on a variety of projects in a short amount of time, including intensive care, medical/surgical, burn, labor and delivery, surgery, imaging, and pediatric units.

She was a key team member on the greenfield Houston Methodist Cypress Hospital in Cypress, Texas, participating in the inpatient floor design coordination. She also assisted with planning of the imaging department and coordinating with vendors and consultants on multiple modalities, including general and interventional radiology, CT scans, and ultrasounds.

She also ensured code compliance throughout the hospital, taking initiative to stay ahead of regulatory changes on the horizon with the introduction of new state health codes.

On the 670,000-square-foot Valleywise Health Medical Center replacement hospital in Phoenix, she played a key role in the planning and design of the inpatient floors, including the Arizona Burn Center, which includes intensive care and acute care inpatient units, debridement rooms, a physical therapy gym, and hyperbaric chambers.

Applying the same detail-oriented approach to projects big and small, she also served on project teams for microhospitals and community hospitals, including the 37,000-square-foot expansion at Baylor Scott & White in Pflugerville, Texas, and a 12,000-square-foot Houston Methodist cancer center build-out within a medical office building (MOB 1) in Cypress, Texas.

Valdez’s versatility, adaptability, and eagerness to tackle challenges as opportunities for growth demonstrate her commitment to continuous learning and her ambition to drive the healthcare design industry forward.

Path to healthcare design: I sort of stumbled upon it when I got hired at Page. I was placed in the healthcare studio and the rest is history. I enjoyed the complexity of a healthcare project—the planning, healthcare guidelines, design, and intricate coordination—all while keeping the patients’ needs and experience in mind. It truly drew me in.

Describe your design approach: Careful research and thorough evaluation of all design options.

On your desk now: Currently, I’m juggling a couple of projects including an equipment replacement for a cystoscopy room and preliminary studies for an infusion department (both projects for Houston Methodist), and a build-out of six inpatient floors for Memorial Hermann.

However, the project consuming most of my time is a 9-story medical office building with an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) dedicated to orthopedic specialties for Houston Methodist. Levels 1-3 are part of the ASC, which include imaging, surgical, and sterile processing. Level 4 is a physical therapy gym. Levels 5-9 are clinic spaces.

Oh, and it has a full-size loading dock. Our team, jokingly, calls it a “mini hospital” because of its robust program.

Most rewarding project to date: The Arizona Burn Center at the 670,000-square-foot Valleywise Health Medical Center replacement hospital in Phoenix. During user meetings, I was constantly reminded of the struggles and hardships a burn patient faces. I learned about the extra level of care and consideration it takes to design such a space.

It wasn’t just about treating a patient, but also about their journey to recovery. Not to forget, this project was in development when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and midway into the design development phase, we had to switch gears and learn new technologies that could replace in-person collaboration.

What success means to you: On a personal level and on a day-to-day basis, when I set up a goal or task and complete it at the end, that calls for a successful day. When it comes to a project, I find it rewarding when clients (staff, patients, owners) give positive feedback after moving in.

Recently, we received a note praising the neonatal intensive care unit we designed for at Valleywise Health Medical Center in Phoenix, noting that our layout created a quieter environment, allowing babies to sleep better. As a new mom myself, I was particularly thrilled by this feedback.

Industry challenge on your radar: We all know that new technologies are transforming all industries, and I’m eager to see how healthcare continues to incorporate these advancements. As designers, our challenge is to create proper built environments that support these new technologies effectively. Although keeping up with the latest innovations can be challenging, the goal is always to enhance staff workflow and improve patient experiences.

I believe that embracing new technologies will have a positive impact on healthcare, as long as we stay current and adaptable.

Must-have skill for healthcare designers today: You have to be versatile, keep an open mind, and be flexible with design ideas. There have been numerous times when I come out of a user meeting with a completely different plan layout. One must be open to change and good at quickly grasping and developing a new design concept. Oftentimes, being able to multitask helps with developing these concepts efficiently.

Additionally, as technology evolves rapidly, embracing and adapting to change is essential.

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