U.S. national healthcare expenditure reached $4.3 trillion in 2021, or $12,914 per person, and is estimated to reach $6.2 trillion by 2028, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, with the U.S. spending nearly 16.8% of gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare in 2019.
Deloitte estimates that, if the current trajectory continues, health spending will triple to nearly $12 trillion by 2040, or 26% of the GDP. That growth and the need for patient-centered hospitals and doctor’s offices is expected to benefit companies actively designing and outfitting those spaces.
So it is no surprise that the Healthcare Design Conference and Expo (HCD), which kicked off this weekend in New Orleans and runs through tomorrow, is more popular than ever. HCD is billed as the industry’s ultimate networking, education and product-sourcing event for all things healthcare.
Healthcare Design Conference and Expo has more than 100 educational sessions providing the latest research, trends, and strategies in the healthcare design industry. The event also brings together industry leaders from around the country. The exhibit hall features hundreds of exhibitors, many of them healthcare furniture companies, that are showcasing the latest innovations in healthcare design products and services. Inspirational keynotes, panel discussions, facility tours, and networking are also important aspects of the conference.
One of the exhibitors at HCD is Stance Healthcare, a Canadian manufacturer of healthcare furniture that continues to grow since its founding in 2008. Co-founder and President of Stance Healthcare Carl Kennedy said HCD fits the company’s mission of improving lives by design.
Stance started out slowly, with just a few products, but it has built itself into one of the fastest growing healthcare furniture companies in North America. It wasn’t easy, according to Kennedy.
“We started out with a product that was designed more for the Canadian market with durability and cleanability in mind,” he said. “We struggled for a number of years to gain the attention of the design community. It’s only really been in the last five years that we’ve really elevated our game in terms of our product design and aesthetics. Add to that a lot of hard work and some lucky breaks.”
Stance Healthcare is also quick to respond to the market, said Kennedy. Several trends are driving the market right now, including two that seem to be antithetical.
“We see trends coming out of COVID for products that are more cleanable and use more durable surface materials like solid surface and steel,” he said. “We’ve seen a decline in demand for tandem seating with shared arms, for example. But then we see a competing trend that includes furniture that is more residential in look and feel, a little more hospitality-like, which includes wood, wood accents, or even wood frames. That competes with the more clinical, more cleanable trends. I don’t know which trend will succeed long-term out of those two, but certainly from a high level, I think more of a hospitality aesthetic versus clinical.”
Keeping up with trends in both design and healthcare has helped Stance to consistent, year-over-year growth and exponential growth the last few years coming out of COVID. Kennedy said there is broad strength in the healthcare market. The industry is undergoing a lot of consolidation as healthcare systems combine. Unlike the commercial furniture market, which seems to be paralyzed by the hybrid and work-from-home models, the healthcare market is strong and consistent, he added.
A large part of Stance Healthcare’s business is in the behavioral health sector. That sector, in particular, is growing even faster than the general health system, according to Kennedy. The sector is gaining traction as more attention is rightfully being paid to mental health and more dollars flow into that channel.
Stance understands the demands its customers place on furniture. Many of the areas in which Stance Healthcare is sold are 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week facilities. They are high traffic environments, which means the furniture needs to last. “We’ve always overbuilt our products; over-engineered our products. All our metal frames are fully welded,” said Kennedy.
Comfort matters as well, of course, which is a key feature in Stance Furniture’s new Clover Lounge collection. Clover is a blend of beautiful curves and modern design, elevating the ambiance of supervised behavioral healthcare environments. The craftsmanship adds to the aesthetics and ensures comfort and support for patients and visitors. With safety as a top priority, the collection exceeds BIFMA testing requirements while offering innovative features like concealed clean-out spaces and tamper-resistant fasteners. Customizable options, including a choice of legs, fabric selection, and moisture barrier, allow facilities to create welcoming, secure, and visually appealing spaces.
Healthcare settings are continuing to improve, said Kennedy. It is a testament to the commitment of manufacturers to lean in and listen to end users, caregivers and family members, who are all part of the healing journey. Healthcare furniture must be robust, but designers are demanding more casual, home-like furniture.
“I’ve seen firsthand spaces have historically looked like very clinical cold, sterile, unfriendly. Probably the best analogy that I’ve ever heard is that if a patient is admitted into a mental health facility for treatment and it feels like a prison, they’ll have a sense that they’re being punished, which is the complete opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish. So while those mental health spaces in the past have looked more like a correctional facility, the future is much, much brighter, and it’s rewarding. Again, furniture is just one part of it, but it is very rewarding to be part of that transformation,” said Kennedy.
Stance is just one of the many furniture makers exhibiting at the Healthcare Design Conference and Expo. Exhibitors range from the large, like MillerKnoll, to the small furniture makers that create niche products. There’s a lot more to the Healthcare Design Conference than manufacturers and exhibitors. There is a full range of educational opportunities and chances to tour healthcare facilities in and around New Orleans.
