Los Angeles County planner Clement Lau discusses what the Affordable Care Act means for hospital construction, design, and expansion.
While discussions about the Affordable Care Act mainly have focused on how the healthcare law affects consumers, developers of hospitals and medical facilities also are feeling the impact of the legislation.
Clement Lau, a Los Angeles County-based planner, outlines some of the ways healthcare providers are rethinking design of new facilities and working to revamp older ones in response to the law.
With more people insured and baby boomers approaching the age where their medical needs have increased, larger facilities are necessary and hospital construction is on the rise, according to Lau.
He goes on the write about how hospitals and medical facilities are a key factor when it comes to planning and quality of life.
“…hospitals are very important to the quality of life in communities in terms of the medical services they offer, the jobs they provide, and the ways they contribute to the built environment. From a planning standpoint, we must be aware of the changes that are and will be taking place with regards to medical facilities.”
FULL STORY: A Hospital Near You: Part II
Oregon Passes Exemption to Urban Growth Boundary
Cities have a one-time chance to acquire new land for development in a bid to increase housing supply and affordability.
Where Urban Design Is Headed in 2024
A forecast of likely trends in urban design and architecture.
Savannah: A City of Planning Contrasts
From a human-scales, plaza-anchored grid to suburban sprawl, the oldest planned city in the United States has seen wildly different development patterns.
Washington Tribes Receive Resilience Funding
The 28 grants support projects including relocation efforts as coastal communities face the growing impacts of climate change.
Adaptive Reuse Bills Introduced in California Assembly
The legislation would expand eligibility for economic incentives and let cities loosen regulations to allow for more building conversions.
LA's Top Parks, Ranked
TimeOut just released its list of the top 26 parks in the L.A. area, which is home to some of the best green spaces around.
City of Rochester
Boston Harbor Now
City of Bellevue
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Birmingham, Alabama
City of Laramie, Wyoming
Colorado Department of Local Affairs
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.