Outcomes: Sustainability has been classically interpreted as improving efficiencies, such as energy for lower carbon footprints, better material selection, and reduced water use.

However, sustainability concepts and design processes at hospitals such as Dell Children’s (LEED Platinum), Birmingham Children’s (LEED Gold) and THR Flower Mound (LEED Silver) have led to greater recognition among US healthcare systems of the economic and employee ‘payback’ of applying sustainability to other systems. These healthcare organisations understand that the tools that have been applied to other daily operational processes could dramatically improve: the efficiency of healthcare workers, thus lowering the overall cost of healthcare; and the application of the ‘well’ concept, not just for the hospital but also the community around the hospital, to develop civic pride and confidence in their built environment.

Implications: This paper will demonstrate how these healthcare systems are improving their operational models and reveal some preliminary results in areas of:

• integration of building systems to improve staff efficiencies and the patient experience;
• integration of medical support system platforms to help healthcare workers shave vital minutes off tasks to allow more time for one-on-one patient care;
• revision of the entire patient experience model through use of smart technology to save the patient time, remove some of the anxiety from the healthcare experience, and improve outcomes; and
• redefining community outreach programmes through technology to promote healthy lifestyles and a ‘well’ environment.