Supporting Healthcare Today
Expert Sulae Cheung weighs in on the unique aspects of supporting healthcare clients and her work with Cedars-Sinai.
A tenured expert in Pivot's Healthcare division, Sulae Cheung has partnered with esteemed Los Angeles institution Cedars-Sinai Medical Center for over 20 years.
On the heels of the recent IIDA Calibre Award win for the Advanced Health Sciences Pavilion, 4th Floor Surgery Remodel project, we sat down with Sulae to discuss the unique needs of healthcare clients and the key to her successful partnership with Cedars-Sinai.
You’ve been in the Healthcare space for over 20 years. What’s unique about supporting Healthcare clients?
Hospitals have specialized needs to support patients, practitioners, and caregivers as well as infection controls, visitor tracking, flexibility to accommodate changing technology, and so much more. Products are highly specialized, tools and technology change rapidly, OSHPD compliance is highly complex, and the knowledge and specialization required is considerable. Pivot’s team has been in the Healthcare space for over 40 years, so our expertise is established and quite comprehensive.
Why do your Healthcare clients choose Pivot as a partner?
Clients rely on our breadth of expertise and range of product solutions for all areas from labs to ERs to patient rooms, administrative and guest waiting areas, and more. From the large hospital to the boutique local clinic, we create all kinds of healing spaces.
What are your clients’ top concerns right now?
Covid safety and physical distancing is of course a huge focus right now; we’re reconfiguring spaces and finding ways to keep people safe and comfortable.
What changes are you seeing in response?
For infection control we’re seeing a move away from wood and towards metal and manufactured stone, as well as vinyl and easy-wipe fabrics. Safety, security, and comfort for patients and caregivers are always of the utmost importance.
What makes you indispensable to your clients?
The strength and longevity of our relationship with Cedars-Sinai is built on my team’s knowledge and expertise—not just about the industry but about the particulars of their hospital, projects, stakeholders, and history. Pivot is a core member of the team, in constant communication with the GCs, architects, design firms and the client.
How does that longevity benefit the team's work?
The team at Cedars-Sinai work closely with our dedicated designers and PMs, whom they’ve come to know and depend on. With 10-year planning and project cycles often 6-7 years long, it’s really crucial to them to have continuity on their support team. I help my clients budget for projects that are many years out, factoring in projected changes in product and materials pricing, and even labor costs.
My clients know and trust our product solutions, but the true value we bring them is really in the service and support we provide.
