Texas A&M to Host Symposium on ICU Design and New SCCM Guidelines
Leading healthcare and design professionals will gather in Houston for a one-day symposium focused on the future of intensive care unit (ICU) design, guided by the newly updated standards from the Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM).
Hosted by the Center for Health Systems & Design at Texas A&M University’s College of Architecture, in collaboration with the Houston Methodist Center for Critical Care, AIA Houston, AMFP Houston, and the Texas Chapter of SCCM, the symposium titled “ICU Design with the New SCCM Guidelines” will explore how clinical care and facility design intersect to improve patient outcomes in critical care environments.
A Forum for Innovation in Healthcare Design
The event will take place at the Houston Methodist Research Institute and will feature a series of expert-led presentations, panel discussions, and guided tours of some of Houston’s most advanced ICU environments. The symposium is open to healthcare professionals, architects, students, and anyone interested in the future of healthcare design.
Registration is $75 for professionals and $25 for students, with continuing education credits available through the American Institute of Architects (3 HSW CES) and self-reporting CME for SCCM members.
Agenda Highlights
The symposium begins with breakfast at 7:30 a.m., followed by a welcome address and presentations from nationally recognized experts in healthcare design and critical care. Scheduled speakers include:
- Dr. Kirk Hamilton, Professor Emeritus at Texas A&M, who will outline how the new SCCM ICU design guidelines were developed.
- Dr. Jodie Gary, Associate Professor of Nursing at Texas A&M, who will examine the clinical implications of the new standards.
- Charles Cadenhead, a retired healthcare architect, who will discuss the integration of the new guidelines with existing ICU design principles.
A panel discussion and audience Q&A will follow the morning sessions.
Exclusive ICU Facility Tours
In the afternoon, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in guided tours of ICU facilities at Houston Methodist. Introduced by Dr. Faisal Masud, Medical Director of the Center for Critical Care, the tours will provide an immersive look at the evolution of ICU design—from the 1979 Fondren Surgical Liver ICU to the cutting-edge Virtual ICUdeveloped in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The tours are optional and have limited availability. Participants must sign up after completing event registration.
About the Speakers
The symposium features thought leaders from both academia and clinical practice:
- Kirk Hamilton, PhD, FCCM, is a pioneer in healthcare design research and co-editor of the Health Environments Research & Design Journal.
- Jodie Gary, PhD, RN, brings a dual background in nursing education and ICU experience.
- Charles D. Cadenhead, FAIA, FACHA, has led ICU design projects worldwide.
- Faisal Masud, MD, FCCP, FCCM, oversees ICU operations across eight hospitals within the Houston Methodist system and helped pioneer virtual ICU models.
Event Details
- Event Name: ICU Design with the New SCCM Guidelines
- Date: Friday, August 1, 2025
- Time: 7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
- Location: Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Avenue, Houston, TX 77030
- Registration Link: tx.ag/ICUdesignsymposium
- CE Credits: 3 AIA HSW CES; SCCM self-reporting CME
For more information, contact the Center for Health Systems & Design at Texas A&M University at (979) 845–7009.
