Dan Thomas

AIA, ACHA, EDAC, NCARB
Principal, Health, Dallas

Dan was already mid-career designing hospitals when his father was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia, admitted into a behavioral health center, and transitioned to hospice care. As firsthand witness to the impact of a healthcare environment on every kind of caregiver—doctors, nurses, loved ones—and on the patients themselves, Dan found a renewed dedication to the unique demands of his field. Now, he’s inspired by the demands of tomorrow.

He keeps a vigilant eye on industry data and trends to understand the ins and outs of current healthcare design. Partnering with the Health Industry Advisory Council at his alma mater, Texas A&M, he stays active in an academic community eager to envision what could be. The goal of his research? A proactively healthy, carbon-neutral future.

Focused on what comes next, Dan also finds joy in mentorship. In fact, he says, he leads with the hope his staff and emerging designers will surpass him.

 

"I truly believe that the healthcare design work we do helps make the world a better place. Some of the most important moments in life take place in healthcare facilities, from birth on through adulthood. Creating healing, compassionate, and uplifting space is both rewarding and fulfilling.”
A planning session for the UCHealth Memorial Hospital North expansion project
Dan likes to capture organic patterns in nature
FUN FACT ABOUT DAN
Dan is a photographer and loves microphotography.