In this episode of Between the Lines with FGI, host John Williams interviews Christoph Lohr, vice president of technical services and research at IAPMO and the plumbing task group chair for the 2026 Health Guidelines Revision Committee (HGRC). Their discussion explores the complexities and challenges of plumbing systems in health care facilities, emphasizing the importance of water quality and safety. Christoph also highlights the collaborative efforts between IAPMO and FGI to improve plumbing standards and codes. Listeners will gain insights into the critical role of plumbing in health care and the ongoing efforts to enhance system resiliency and efficiency. 

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities 

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2-e7-plumbing-standards-and-health-care-facility-design/

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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In this episode of Between the Lines with FGI, cohosts John Williams and Bridget McDougall sit down with Dr. Marie Martin from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to discuss the critical topic of safe patient handling and mobility. Dr. Martin shares her journey and insights into the development of guidelines and practices that ensure the safety and well-being of both patients and caregivers. Learn about the importance of accommodating individuals of all sizes in health care environments and the innovative solutions being implemented to address these needs. This episode is packed with valuable information for anyone interested in health care design and patient safety. Tune in for an engaging and educational conversation! 

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities 

Link to show notes: 

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This episode of Between the Lines with FGI focuses on optimizing surface materials in health care and residential care design. Cohosts John Williams and Bridget McDougall discuss the importance of surface materials in health care settings with Laurie Waggener, the Director of Research for Healthcare at Page. Laurie explains her role in ensuring evidence-based architectural processes and shares insights on the impact of surface materials on patient care, including durability, maintenance, and safety. The discussion also covers the use of UVC radiation for disinfection, the importance of consensus decisions with clients, and how the COVID-19 pandemic influenced surface testing. The conversation underscores the need for materials that balance aesthetics, functionality, and safety in health care environments. 

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities 

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2-e5-surfaces-in-health-care-settings-evidence-based-design/

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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After listening to this episode, you’ll understand why guest Tobias (Toby) Gilk says, “The physics associated with MRI scanners is so otherworldly and so profoundly different from our daily experience interacting with the world that everything seems magic associated with this particular imaging modality.” The profound differences with MRI don’t stop with just the physics; there are a host of built environment considerations for the spaces that house MRIs as well as operational implications for patient and staff safety. Toby gives a quick lesson on how MRIs work, shares a story of how tragedy led to codified safety measures, and answers John and Bridget’s questions about the whys behind the codes.

Sponsored by:

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2e4-mri-safety-and-the-built-environment-tobias-gilk/

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/

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There’s a seismic shift happening in the codes and standards development legal landscape as courts back away from the longstanding precedent of protecting copyrights. As a result, some entities now post what was protected content, seemingly in partnership with standards development organizations, in order to sell their own products. In reality, standards development organizations like FGI have no oversight on how their code content is used outside of its own platforms and publications. CEO Heather Livingston discusses FGI’s unusual approach to making sure that everyone involved in health and residential care design and construction has access to accurate and complete code requirements straight from the source. 

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities 

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2e3-changes-ahead-intellectual-property-rights-and-the-future-of-the-guidelines/

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Woven into any patient’s health care experience is the environment in which they are treated. Questions about cleanliness and quietude appear on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey; the results of which determine how much funding is provided (or removed) from health care facilities by CMS.  

In this episode, recorded at ASHE’s Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference last month (July 2024), guests Jeff O’Neill and Kathy Easter, both of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, engage in discussion about where the patient experience and the Guidelines (soon to be the FGI Facility Code) intersect.    

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities 

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2-e2-built-environment-impacts-on-operations-and-the-patient-experience

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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This is your chance to weigh in! The change in title from the 2022 Guidelines for Design and Construction documents to the 2026 FGI Facility Code documents is one of several changes you will see during the 2026 draft public comment period (now through September 30, 2024). For this episode, John Williams and Leah Hummel sit down with Bridget McDougall for an overview of the draft changes discussed as part of a presentation they gave at the Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference in Anaheim, CA. From new chapters to revised requirements, hear about the language that you have an opportunity to comment on before the next edition is published in early 2026. Note: This episode was recorded on July 20, 2024, while at ASHE’s Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference in Anaheim, CA.  

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing health care facilities  

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/s2e1-whats-new-in-the-2026-fgi-facility-code-drafts

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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Not an ASHE member? Didn’t attend the HCFI conference? This episode is also for you! In this bonus episode (recorded at the Health Care Facilities Innovation Conference in Anaheim, California on July 21, 2024), hosts John Williams and Bridget McDougall sit down with Leah Hummel, senior associate director of the American Society for Health Care Engineering’s (ASHE) advocacy team, to discuss the importance of reviewing and commenting on the 2026 draft FGI Facility Code documents. Leah and John touch on the presentations they’re giving at the conference, and Leah talks about the one thing she’s always stressing to ASHE members regarding FGI and the code documents. NOTE: Look for the first episode of Season 2 (released Friday, August 2, to hear an overview of the changes in the 2026 draft!    

Sponsored by:  

American Society for Health Care Engineering (ASHE): Optimizing Health Care Facilities  

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/bonus-between-the-lines-with-ashe/

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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Jane Rohde is affectionately known in FGI circles as “the mother of the Residential Guidelines.” Her passion for residential health care facility design and advocacy for the aging and vulnerable populations led to the inclusion of residential health, care, and support facilities in the Guidelines documents beginning with the 2018 edition. In this episode, Jane explains how nursing homes, initially intended for short-term care, evolved into a care model that often widens the gap between “those who have and those who have not.” Jane further emphasizes the need for community-centric design, pointing to common design mistakes including poor acoustics in large spaces, inappropriate lighting disrupting circadian rhythms, and lack of contrast in colors leading to falls. Jane also shares why a detailed functional programming process, engaging community stakeholders to identify service gaps and needs, is “the nitty gritty” that she loves the most.” 

Sponsored by: The Facility Guidelines Institute: The keystone to health care planning, design, and construction 

Link to show notes: https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/e10-designing-care-spaces-with-our-future-selves-in-mind-jane-rohde/ 

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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Addie Abushousheh shares her insights on the evolution of residential health, care, and support facility design and construction, particularly focusing on the role kitchen and dining spaces have in enhancing residents’ quality of life. Key points include shifts in language to empower residents, the importance of various kitchen types for autonomy, and the significance of dining areas for socialization and therapy. Addie highlights new language in the upcoming 2026 draft Guidelines for Design and Construction of Residential Health, Care, and Support Facilities document, emphasizing the intent to support choice for both those building these facilities and the people calling them home.  

Sponsored by:  

Specified Technologies, Inc. (STI): Your partner in barrier management solutions. 

Link to show notes https://fgiguidelines.org/podcast/e9-ding-ding-a-toast-to-residential-care-dining-spaces-addie-abushousheh

Learn more about AIA self-reporting LUs: https://fgiguidelines.org/aia-self-reporting-lus/ 

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