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What Do Healthcare Decision-Makers Actually Want from Their Partners?
Healthcare decision-making is getting harder—not because teams lack expertise, but because complexity, cost pressure, and stakeholder misalignment are colliding earlier than ever in the process.
In this episode of Design Nerds Anonymous, host Amanda Schneider, Founder and President of ThinkLab, takes listeners inside a live experiential research event at the 2025 Healthcare Design Conference in Kansas City, where more than 60 healthcare end users, designers, manufacturers, and dealers gathered to explore how decisions for healthcare environments are actually unfolding.
Nearly 95% of participants said they would rather work with partners who spot problems before they happen than those who simply respond well in a crisis. That finding reframes value in healthcare projects—shifting it from reaction to foresight, clarity, and early alignment.
Through live polling, pre-session interviews, an end-user panel, cross-functional problem solving, and candid onsite reflections, this episode reveals why healthcare projects slow down and what teams across the ecosystem can do differently.
You’ll hear from healthcare leaders and industry partners including Gillian Romano, Lauren Cole, Charmi Deepak, Michelle Rippentrop, and Miranda Morgan, alongside a live end-user panel moderated by AJ Paron of SANDOW Design Group. The episode also features post-session reflections from manufacturer partner Erin Jende, offering an unfiltered view into today’s healthcare design ecosystem.
A clear takeaway emerges: healthcare projects don’t fall apart midstream—they struggle at the start. When people, priorities, and expectations aren’t aligned early, friction compounds as projects move faster with less clarity.
After listening, you will be able to:
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Explain why healthcare decision-making feels more complex and harder to align
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Identify what healthcare end users need from partners today
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Understand how cost management now spans the entire project lifecycle
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Apply practical ideas to improve communication, alignment, and handoffs
How it Works
If this is your first audio-CEU experience you might have some questions – like, "Can I really get CEU credit for listening to a podcast?" and "How exactly does this whole CEU podcast thing work?" And the answer is yes, you CAN earn CEU credits for tuning in and the process is quick and easy.
Here's how to complete your entire CEU podcast process in 3 simple steps:
Step 1: Listen to the episode.
Step 2: Visit this link to take a short, 5 question quiz,
*Scoring an 80% or above on the quiz will earn you 0.5 CEU/0.5 LU.
Step 3: Upon passing the quiz, receive your certificate of completion from the CEU provider.
Special thanks to our CEU episode sponsors, Clarus and Haworth, for partnering with us to provide valuable insights on compelling topics for the design industry.
- Download the Podcast Discussion Guide.
- Take the QUIZ, get CEU credits.
- Learn more about End-User Decision Making.
- Sign up for ThinkLab’s Newsletter to keep up with industry trends.
- Follow Amanda on LinkedIn for more workplace insights.
- Join ThinkLab's Research and get paid for your perspective.
Design Nerds Anonymous is a proud member of the SURROUND Podcast Network. Discover more shows from SURROUND at surroundpodcasts.com. This episode of Design Nerds Anonymous was produced and edited by SANDOW DESIGN GROUP, with music from Blue Dot Sessions. Special thanks to the podcast production team: Hannah Viti, Rob Schulte, and Rachel Senatore.
Special thanks to our podcast sponsors, Clarus and Haworth– companies doing big things to move the design industry forward.
Want to sponsor an episode?
Design Nerds Anonymous is the only podcast of its kind – holding an engaged audience of architects, designers, CRE leaders, and end users – and delivering the most insights per minute on the forces shaping the built environment. With over 100K+ downloads, the show features industry powerhouses from brands like Chik-fil-A, Hilton, and StoryBrand, having bold conversations on what’s next in business and design—market shifts, process innovation, and the hidden dynamics driving change.
Learn more about becoming a sponsor.
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