Healthcare Design - June/July 2020 - 48

fac e

Time

VIRGINIA PANKEY

Principal and senior medical planner, HOK, St. Louis
Pankey has created a niche for herself in behavioral
health design, leading new planning approaches at HOK,
serving on the behavioral health crisis unit topic group for
the Facility Guidelines Institute, and teaching a behavioral health course
at Washington University in St. Louis. Here, she discusses her career path,
favorite design trend, and what she'd do if she wasn't an architect.-Anne DiNardo
W H AT D R E W Y O U T O
H E A LT H C A R E D E S I G N ?
It is meaningful work. I enjoy solving complicated
problems and learning new things. Additionally,
when I was in graduate school, my dad died of
heart disease. That experience gave me a firsthand
look at the patient and family experience and
changed how I think about design.

H O W D I D B E H AV I O R A L
H E A LT H D E S I G N B E C O M E A
FOCUS FOR YOU?
My father's mom had postpartum depression in
1936 and was institutionalized. She never left the
system. I'm so happy with the progress made since
that era but we need to continue to improve these
facilities. When I joined HOK in 2016, I worked
on a behavioral health hospital for the Wyoming
Department of Health, which furthered my interest.

O N B E H AV I O R A L H E A L T H
DESIGN TRENDS
Much-needed
behavioral health
crisis stabilization units.
They allow for the kind
of specific care needed
for these patients.

Enclosed nurses'
stations. More
aggressive behaviors
are documented when
nurses' stations are
enclosed.

THREE UNEXPECTED ITEMS ON
YOUR DESK

1 An air plant in a girl figure pot
2 A black-and-white postcard from
the Guggenheim Museum of a lady
wearing a hat stylized after the
iconic museum building

3 A framed saying that describes
my tendency to leave nothing
unsaid

F AV O R I T E ...
WEEKEN D ACTI VI TY Relaxing by the pool and
reading a book while my boyfriend grills dinner for me.
(Thank you, Aaron.)
B AN DS/M USI CAL ARTI STS India Arie, Etta
James, Michael Bublé, Tracy Chapman, Eric Clapton. I
tend to like the blues, Motown, and songbook artists.
SPORT Hiking, if that's considered a sport.

M O R NING P ER SO N
O R NIG H T O W L?
I'm right in the middle.
I don't wake up quickly
or stay up very late.

C O F F EE O R T EA ?
Chai tea latte

H O W D ID YO U
M A KE YO UR F IR ST
D O LLA R ?
Babysitting, but my
first job was at Burger
Chef. I was a cashier but
also helped out when
something needed to be
done. One day, I had
to peel onions for the
entire shift. Yuck!

YO UR H ID D EN
TA LENT ?
I sing and act. I'm in
a drama group at the
large Methodist church I
attend. I have performed
in small ensemble
dramas and sung solos
at services.

YO UR G O -T O
KA R A O KE SO NG ?
"Love Shack" by The
B-52's

B OOK "David and Goliath" by Malcom Gladwell. I
enjoy pretty much anything he has written.
M OVI E CH ARACTER Mona Lisa Vito from "My
Cousin Vinny." She is underestimated by everybody, but
she's smart as a whip and doesn't take guff from anyone.

T H R E E H E A LT H C A R E P R O J E C T S
YOU'VE WORKED ON IN THE
LAST YEAR AND YOUR ROLE

1

Wyoming Department of Health, State Hospital in
Evanston, Wyo., and Life Resource Center in Lander,
Wyo., project manager

LA ST G A M E YO U
P LAYED ?
Scattergories. I've
been told I think in a
starburst pattern-all
over the place, but it
eventually comes back
to center. It serves
me well in that game
and when planning
healthcare spaces.

2
3

Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital, part of
Saint Francis Health System, in Tulsa, Okla., project
executive and senior medical planner

48

J U N E /J U LY 2 0 2 0

HCDMAGAZINE.COM

IF YO U W ER EN'T
A N A R C H IT EC T
YO U W O ULD BE...
A fashion designer! I
love clothes and shoes.

HOK

Hybl Sports Medicine and Performance Center,
University of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo.,
senior medical planner
http://www.HCDMAGAZINE.COM
Healthcare Design - June/July 2020

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