Facilities Built for the Future: 3 Healthcare Design Trends Emerging in 2025 and Beyond

Building and renovating healthcare facilities for the future means finding that sweet spot where employee retention, quality patient care and the bottom line align. As we look to 2025, we’re faced with the challenges and opportunities of several converging factors: an impending critical healthcare worker shortage, vast “healthcare deserts” in our midst, and an ever-unfolding AI boom. To respond to these challenges in the year to come, architects will need to embrace increasingly sophisticated AI and incorporate it into design (and operations). We’ll also see a shift toward increased patient access to care via smaller or multi-use facilities and a focus on staff wellbeing via enhanced breakroom and biophilic spaces.

Augmenting tech: Increased emphasis on AI to streamline operations, education and care

Currently, healthcare facilities are using AI data and analysis primarily to predict bottlenecks and ensure adequate staffing. In 2025 and beyond, there’s huge potential to incorporate AI tools (and infrastructure) into building design. In terms of renovations and new builds, these innovations require carving out significant room for both current and future IT needs — including a future of AI-assisted robotics.

When it comes to building efficiency, AI can streamline everything from energy use to systems performance. Data-driven AI can also monitor, track and predict trends and anomalies in operations, occupancy, traffic flow and more. Within moments, AI technology can provide answers and potential solutions to an array of questions, such as: Are patient stays increasing? Is occupancy reduced? Is ventilation blowing in an unused conference room? Are procedures on time?

On the robotics front, 2025 building design may need to accommodate a range of AI-assisted tools. Already, some healthcare facilities have incorporated autonomous pharmacies as well as spaces for surgeons to train on AI-assisted devices. But given studies predict a staff shortage of 100,000 workers by 2028, this is only the start; technology will need to play a bigger role in years to come. 

We’ll see AI incorporated into building structure with things like AI-assisted room sensors which can detect if a patient has fallen. There will also be areas for AI robots to roam the halls performing support roles such as cleaning corridors and rooms  or delivering items to patient rooms.  Designers are rethinking layout, getting creative when it comes to implementing cutting edge technologies and separating robot traffic from human movement with a primarily “backstage” approach.

Going small: Shifting building footprints — and implementing flexible use — to provide better patient access

Patient experience in 2025 will come down to access to care. With 80% of US counties considered “healthcare deserts,” pioneering and providing care in much of the country may involve downsizing and dispersing healthcare facilities throughout these communities. Designing several small clinics over various zip codes would allow patient access to primary care rather than defaulting to emergency care in the face of no other option.  

Depending on the location and related community needs, these small clinics could flex to include core healthcare services, such as labs and imaging. With such tools on hand, these facilities can flex even further to serve as 24-hour ER facilities in addition to daytime clinics. In the case of a stroke or cardiac event, which requires “golden hour” emergency care, proximity is key. That’s where these small, satellite clinic models shine. A multi-use conveniently located clinic provides not only patient access, but life saving opportunity.

Flexible, smaller facilities are also playing a role in the effort to address the country’s behavioral health crisis. Like primary care clinics, outpatient facilities providing mental healthcare services are aligning with the trend toward smaller, geographically dispersed, and multi-use design.

Nurturing staff: Creating improved experience for healthcare workers

Frontline workers can easily burn out, especially if they have no place to reset and recharge. And with the looming labor shortage, healthcare facilities can’t afford to lose staff due to burnout. 

Creating welcoming spaces for employees to rest can play a significant role in retaining and supporting workers. While doctors were previously the primary focus of break rooms, in 2025, these spaces will expand to support nurses and other staff. 

This movement to support employee wellbeing is also converging with an industry-crossing biophilia design trend, incorporating nature-connecting elements into various environments. Biophilia in healthcare facilities is shown to reduce stress and increase happiness and productivity. 

For that reason, the stark, sterile design hospitals once had is out and nature is in. Biophilic design elements are cropping up in staff break rooms as well as patient, and visitor spaces, in an array of ways such as incorporating natural materials like wooden ceilings in lieu of white epoxy. While these materials were once thought of as dirty or hard to clean, manufacturers have focused on cleanability and developing materials that take less maintenance and have better wear and tear characteristics.  

The takeaway

Whether pursuing high-tech solutions, tapping into natural elements, or doubling down on smaller building sizes, the future of healthcare facilities design boils down to improving patient access and nurturing employee retention. These people-centric trends, coupled with enormous AI potential to support all stakeholders, will mean rethinking design and flexibility of front-of-house, backstage and mechanical/IT spaces as we move into 2025 and beyond.

Photo: LoveTheWind, Getty Images

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