By Healthcare Facilities Today

Healthcare Design magazine's "Take Five" series asks healthcare design professionals about what’s got their attention. The magazine recently talked to Ken Kramer, principal at Francis Cauffman in Philadelphia.

He shares his thoughts on project budgets and five steps to successfully managing budgetary discussions with clients and presenting creative solutions that maximize return on investment.

1. Find the real concern about spending. Often a client will express hesitation when it comes to committing their resources to a new project. 

2. Use specific goals to measure success. In order to adjust a budget to best suit the client, it’s critical to establish a clear understanding of the client’s goals. 

3.  Change the conversation. When a client says “no,” try to offer different ways of thinking about solving the same problems. It’s easy to promote new construction as a solution, but success often comes from leveraging your client’s current assets. 

4. Develop a program that meets the budget. There are many ways clients may consider stretching their capital and assets to implement a major project or expansion. 

5. Targeted conversations lead to tailored results. Work directly with clients to craft a budget for their project to alleviate concerns about spending money and help the design process go more smoothly. 

Read the article.