Constructing with Care

DPR Construction
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Welcome to the Constructing with Care podcast, brought to you by DPR, a trusted healthcare builder. A dialogue among health industry leaders discussing the impact of construction to the healthcare environment.

  1. 2D AGO

    Building with Intention: How DPR's Healthcare Fellowship Is Shaping Better Outcomes

    Building with Intention: How the Healthcare Fellowship Is Shaping Better Outcomes Recorded live from the DPR Healthcare Fellowship Summit in Scottsdale, Arizona As healthcare systems demand faster delivery, greater coordination, and measurable value, one thing is becoming clear: technical expertise alone isn't enough. In this episode of Constructing With Care, host Leslie Tulio explores how DPR Construction's Healthcare Fellowship is redefining what it means to build healthcare facilities — by grounding project delivery in clinical insight, empathy, and patient-centered thinking. Recorded at the DPR Healthcare Fellowship Summit, this episode features perspectives from fellowship leaders and participants who share how deeper understanding of clinical workflows, patient flow, and hospital operations is leading to more predictable outcomes and stronger collaboration. In This Episode, You'll Learn: Why the Healthcare Fellowship was created to address the "why" behind healthcare spaces — not just the "what" How clinical operations, funding models, and patient-centered care are integrated into the fellowship curriculum Why empathy and early engagement reduce risk and improve project predictability How fellowship-trained builders are changing job site culture by connecting trades to patient outcomes What "go slow to go fast" really means in healthcare construction Episode Timeline Highlights: 00:00 – 01:10: Introduction & purpose of the Healthcare Fellowship 01:10 – 04:30: Why the fellowship was created and how it bridges gaps between builders and healthcare leaders 04:30 – 06:50: Fellowship impact on project teams and job site culture 06:50 – 08:10: Integrated delivery, early engagement, and complex healthcare challenges 08:10 – 10:40: "Go slow to go fast" — designing and building with intention 10:40 – End: Fellowship outcomes and closing reflections Learn More Explore more healthcare construction insights and episodes at: constructingwithcare.com  Subscribe to Constructing With Care on your favorite podcast platform, and follow DPR Construction on LinkedIn and YouTube for featured content.

    12 min

  2. 12/11/2025

    2025 Constructing with Care Highlights Reel

    This special highlight episode brings together the most impactful moments from every Constructing with Care conversation released in 2025. Through a curated set of clips—no narration needed—we revisit the insights that shaped this year's themes across capital planning and prefabrication. In This Episode: *Aligning capital investments with long-term clinical vision *Using data to bring clarity and confidence to decisions *Closing the gaps between strategy, design, and implementation *Tangible benefits and early-stage predictability *How prefab improves workflow, care delivery, and patient experience *Achieving cost certainty and mitigating risk in complex healthcare projects These guest-driven highlights reflect the evolving approaches healthcare organizations are using to build smarter, more resilient facilities. Tune in for a concise review of the ideas that shaped 2025.

    8 min

  3. 10/21/2025

    Achieving Conviction in Capital Planning: Part 3 Bridging the Gaps from Strategy to Implementation

    In the third episode of this Constructing With Care, short series, host Leslie Tullio from DPR Construction is once again joined by Curtis Skolnik of CommonSpirit Health and Jonathan Bykowski of Array Advisors. Throughout Episode 21 the team explores how healthcare organizations can execute with confidence, from lean construction and technology integration to data-driven decision-making. The conversation dives into the challenges of bridging gaps between strategy, operations, and clinical realities, the role of AI in modeling patient care, mitigating bias in decision-making, and the power of Lean and Six Sigma processes to streamline implementation. Key Topics 01:20 – Emerging Technologies & Process Enablement Curtis and Jonathan discuss promising technologies and the potential for AI to optimize planning and operational decisions, including modeling patient flow and bed utilization. 02:18 – Bridging Strategy, Data, and Clinical Operations The discussion highlights the disconnects between hospital strategy teams, clinical operations, and patient care realities. AI is seen as a tool to bridge these "chasms," helping identify opportunities like step-down care vs. ICU placement. 04:14 – Entrepreneurial Opportunities in Chasm Bridging The panel identifies gaps in healthcare data utilization and how new ventures could address them. 05:23 – Managing Data Overload Conversation on balancing the abundance of data with actionable insights, ensuring decision-makers aren't overwhelmed. 06:39 – Future-State Planning & Flexibility Jonathan emphasizes that long-term plans need built-in flexibility—"back roads maps"—to accommodate changing inputs and dynamic healthcare environments. 10:42 – Human Complexity in Implementation The panel explores how humans and bias affect project execution and the importance of structuring implementation to account for these complexities. 13:26 – Advocating for Equitable Participation Jonathan shares strategies for ensuring all voices are heard in planning sessions, emphasizing equity over equality to combat power dynamics and bias. 17:08 – Lean Six Sigma for Implementation The conversation pivots to Lean and Six Sigma principles, demonstrating how a systems-based approach improves project execution and reduces downstream inefficiencies. 21:13 – Lean Philosophy & Process Accountability The episode closes by reinforcing that errors and inefficiencies are always a reflection of the process, not individuals, and that continuous improvement depends on fixing the system rather than assigning blame. Quote Jonathan Bykowski, Array Advisors "We need to stop chasing perfect data and start trusting the patterns we see in real-time."

    22 min

  4. 09/23/2025

    Achieving Conviction in Capital Planning: Part 2, Data-Driven Decision Making

    In episode 20 of Constructing With Care, host Leslie Tullio from DPR Construction continues the conversation with Curtis Skolnik of CommonSpirit Health and Jonathan Bykowski of Array Advisors. Building on their earlier discussion about vision, stakeholder alignment, and data-driven strategy, they now dive into how organizations execute with confidence—exploring the role of lean construction, BIM/VDC, technology integration, and leadership in navigating capital projects. Host, Leslie Tullio is joined by: Curtis Skolnick, CommonSpirit Health Jonathan Bykowski, Array Advisors Episode Highlights 01:30 – The role of BIM and VDC Curtis discusses how early-stage planning tools accelerate implementation, but also the challenge of how far to push them in upfront planning. 02:59 – Industry gaps in technology adoption Jonathan challenges the AEC industry's slow progress, explaining why BIM is really data and how outdated paradigms still hold projects back. 05:42 – Balancing innovation with value Curtis emphasizes that innovation must have practical value, not just novelty. 06:17 – Creating room for experimentation  Jonathan highlights the lack of a "safe space" to test new approaches and how integrated project delivery helps create room for experimentation. 07:35 – Financial risk and uncertainty Curtis explains how CommonSpirit uses constant data modeling to mitigate financial risk in a volatile environment. 09:14 – Resource allocation challenges A look at how health systems manage limited human resources and prioritize projects. 10:53 – Rethinking ROI Jonathan describes how clients are focusing more on long-term flexibility and adaptability, not just immediate cost-benefit. 13:02 – Building a leadership bench Curtis shares how CommonSpirit fosters a culture of collaboration, innovation, and change through leadership development. 15:40 – Working with different client cultures Jonathan explains how Array Advisors adapts its role to support diverse organizational cultures, sometimes even using creative tactics like removing titles in meetings. 17:53 – Building trust and relationships Both guests reflect on the importance of trust and relationship-building in driving project success. 19:25 – What the future holds Predictions for the next 5–10 years: the emergence of a two-tier healthcare system and the need for faster decision-making. 21:13 – Advice for navigating uncertainty Curtis: Understand your risk tolerance and the risk/reward equation. Jonathan: Be brave and do no harm. Quotes Curtis Skolnick   "Not all ROI is financial—sometimes it's access, equity, or the human impact that matters most."

    23 min

  5. 08/26/2025

    Achieving Conviction in Capital Planning: Part 1, Aligning Capital Investments with Long-Term Vision

    In episode 19 of Solving What's Missing in Healthcare, we continue our Constructing With Care series with an in-depth conversation on how health systems can strategically plan capital investments amid today's challenging environment. From rising labor and material costs to suppressed patient volumes and volatile supply chains, healthcare leaders are being forced to rethink how they prioritize, phase, and finance projects. Host, Leslie Tullio is joined by: Curtis Skolnick, CommonSpirit Health Jonathan Bykowski, Array Advisors 01:10 – Market Pressures & Capital Planning How rising costs, suppressed volumes, and community needs are reshaping capital investment strategies. 04:07 – Aligning Projects to Strategy Balancing opportunity costs, phasing investments, and ensuring long-term alignment with vision. 05:19 – A Disciplined Process A structured approach to project evaluation—balancing ROI, infrastructure, and mission-driven goals. 06:26 – Consultant Perspective The role of consultants: distilling complexity, simplifying data, and focusing leadership conversations. 08:33 – Stakeholder Engagement The outline for a collaborative, non-dictatorial approach that balances leadership, end users, and external partners. 10:42 – Culture, Politics & Listening The reality of political dynamics in hospitals, the role of active listening, and facilitating C-suite dialogue. 13:35 – Objectivity & Empathy Leading with dispassion, objectivity, and understanding frontline realities. 14:22 – The Role of Data How predictive modeling and simplified synthesis help health systems solve root problems, not symptoms. 18:07 – From Data to Predictive Tools Efforts to triangulate data, search for "single sources of truth," and explore AI-driven decision support. 21:01 – Closing & Takeaways The future of predictive analytics in healthcare capital planning—and the search for tools to balance strategy, ROI, and patient care. Quotes: Curtis Skolnick  "We're making decisions about how to care for the next 100 years of patients. That takes strategy, not speed."   Jonathan Bykowski "If hospitals are the trauma bays for community health, then strategic investment is the triage."

    21 min

  6. 06/10/2025

    Harnessing Prefabrication to Balance the Value Equation: Achieving Cost Certainty and Mitigating Risk

    In Episode 18 of Constructing With Care, host Leslie Tullio welcomes back Sarah Francis (Enterprise AVP of Standards and Activation at Advocate Health), Jeff Schroder (AVP of Planning, Design & Construction at Atrium Health), and Sean Ashcroft (Healthcare Core Market Leader at DPR Construction). Together, they explore how prefabrication and standardization in healthcare environments drive cost certainty, boost efficiencies, reduce risk, and still allow for innovation. This episodes highlights:  The importance of robust pre‑construction collaboration: by bringing decision‑makers onboard sooner, teams can identify schedule savings and cost efficiencies early. How knowing handoffs between trades in advance enables reducing two weeks of work from scopes, enhancing efficiency on-site. The 80/20 rule: 80% standardized design ensures efficiency; 20% flexibility supports unique needs. How standardization frees time to focus on innovation—like implementing AI, new tools, and future‑proofed master planning. Why prefabrication enhances cost certainty, expedites schedules, elevates quality, and reduces risk. Tips to influence stakeholders, demonstrating community benefit, clinical engagement, proven partners, and breaking traditional paradigms.

    19 min

  7. 05/20/2025

    Harnessing Prefabrication to Balance the Value Equation: Improving care delivery and operational efficiencies.

    In Episode 17 of Constructing With Care, host Leslie Tullio welcomes back Sarah Francis (Enterprise AVP of Standards and Activation at Advocate Health), Jeff Schroder (AVP of Planning, Design & Construction at Atrium Health), and Sean Ashcroft (Healthcare Core Market Leader at DPR Construction) for a deep dive into the impact of standardization in healthcare construction. Together, they explore how reducing variation across campuses not only enhances operational efficiency and construction outcomes but also significantly improves caregiver training and patient experience. The conversation highlights Advocate Health's journey toward adopting standardization, including lessons learned, the importance of collaboration, and the growing embrace of prefabrication in healthcare design and construction. Key Topics Covered: [00:01:00] Why standardization matters: benefits across efficiency, training, and care consistency [00:02:00] Lessons from Advocate Health's multi-year implementation journey [00:03:00] The importance of mindset, tenacity, and leadership in driving change [00:04:00] Creating collaborative spaces for innovation and shared ownership [00:06:00] How prefabrication evolves and improves over time [00:07:30] Gaining trade partner buy-in and building budget alignment [00:08:30] How standardization reduces labor risk and increases construction reliability [00:10:00] Advocating from within: Sarah Francis on internal evangelism and enterprise adoption [00:11:00] Clinical and operational benefits of standardization. Quotable Moments: Sarah Francis, Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Standards & Activation-Planning, Design & Construction, Advocate Health    "People are our greatest resource. What standardization does is ensure consistency, quality, and safety for our patients and teammates by reducing variability in their work environment."  Sean Ashcroft, Healthcare Core Market Leader, DPR Construction    "This is a continuous improvement journey—each project gets more efficient as stakeholders gain experience with prefabrication."  Jeff Schroder, AVP Planning, Design and Construction, Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health    "Revenue recognition improves because prefabrication helps us get projects out of the gate faster and execute more accurately."

    24 min

  8. 04/10/2025

    Harnessing Prefabrication to Balance the Value Equation: Understanding the tangible benefits

    In episode 16 of Constructing with Care, we dig into how prefabrication is driving tangible financial benefits, improving safety, and accelerating speed to market for healthcare construction projects. Industry leaders join the conversation to break down the power of standardization, long-term operational savings, and the importance of reducing variation in care environments. Hear real-world examples from healthcare systems and learn how cash flows and standardizing processes can support both the bottom line and community care. Guest: Sean Ashcroft, Healthcare Core Market Leader, DPR Construction   Guest: Jeff Schroder, AVP Planning, Design and Construction, Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health   Guest: Sarah Francis - Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Standards & Activation-Planning, Design & Construction, Advocate Health   Key Takeaways [5:20] – Setting the Stage: Financial Pressures + Tech Investments Host Leslie kicks off the conversation by exploring how prefab can address rising financial pressures for healthcare systems while supporting aggressive tech investments. [6:20] – Two Big Wins from Prefab (Sean) Sean highlights the long-term flexibility and operational uptime of prefab systems, plus how prefab impacts critical path scheduling to generate revenue faster. [7:12] – Hospital Perspective: Managing Cashflow at Scale (Jeff) Jeff dives into Atrium Health's approach to managing billions in active projects, explaining how prefab helps front-load purchases and reduce variation and risk from supply chain disruptions and tariffs. [9:17] – Standardization at the Enterprise Level (Sarah) Sarah underscores the importance of minimizing variation across builds, enabling process improvement and better data insights. Standardization is key to long-term efficiency. [10:12] – Compounding Effects of Eliminating Variation Sean expands on how standardization and prefab eliminate variation early—helping avoid rework and driving downstream time and cost savings.   Quotes Jeff Schroder, AVP Planning, Design and Construction, Atrium Health, part of Advocate Health   "Prefabrication helps us mitigate unpredictable factors like weather, labor shortages, and tariffs." Sarah Francis, Enterprise Assistant Vice President, Standards & Activation-Planning, Design & Construction, Advocate Health   "To ensure long-term efficiency we need to focus on minimizing variation, keeping a standardized approach that also allows us to measure and have data."  Sean Ashcroft, Healthcare Core Market Leader, DPR Construction   "There's a necessity for early engagement and ensuring the whole team understands the logic behind prefabrication to avoid gaps in execution."    🎧 Don't Miss This Episode If You're a… Healthcare executive managing capital planning and cash flow Construction leader looking to standardize and scale faster Clinician or facilities director focused on optimizing day-to-day operations

    20 min
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About

Welcome to the Constructing with Care podcast, brought to you by DPR, a trusted healthcare builder. A dialogue among health industry leaders discussing the impact of construction to the healthcare environment.

Information

  • Creator
    DPR Construction
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © DPR Construction
  • Show Website
    Constructing with Care