The conservative word for a ‘challenge’ is a ‘problem’.
And today, we’re talking about a challenge.

Healthcare – in real life

Caring for someone’s health cannot happen outside the context of their life. If a doctor doesn’t understand the patient’s circumstances, treatment becomes ineffective, costly in the long run, and frustrating for everyone involved.
Why did I, a doctor in my later career, decide to attend a conference for architects, designers, and investors?
Simple: three days a week, part of my work is focused on housing quality, planning for aging, and preserving autonomy and integrity – in every stage of life. I wanted to personally meet the people I hope to work with.
A selfish motive? Perhaps.
But a perfectly fair one.

Unexpected answers to familiar questions

Attending the smart buildings conference gave me unexpected answers to questions we all struggle with:
– How can I get a doctor’s appointment sooner?
– How can I avoid expensive and unnecessary services?
– How can I save my nerves and energy in everyday challenges?

Construction site and doctor’s office – more alike than you think

This comparison is not accidental. Because:
– Every building has a unique location, specific spatial, legal, climatic, historical dimensions and purpose.
– Every person has their own uniqueness, requirements, needs, expectations, abilities, strengths, and weaknesses.
The way we approach building or renovation is surprisingly similar to how we approach health and treatment.

What’s next?

In the upcoming series, I’ll explore the parallels between construction sites and doctor’s offices in these dimensions:
– financial
– legal/formal
– moral
– professional
– aesthetic
– social
We’ll look at them through the lens of:
feasibility, quality, duration, mistakes, sustainability – and maintenance.

A final riddle for you:

What’s missing in the second list?

That’s a topic for the next post. 😉

Marijan Gjukić