Designing Care Close to Home
How thoughtful healthcare design is helping rural communities thrive.
The South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations (SDAHO) is proud to recognize CMBA Architects, as a Premium Associate Member and a trusted partner in healthcare architectural design. Our Associate Members are a diverse group that includes national and multi-office consulting firms, accounting and law firms, health care suppliers, associations, local firms working with community health providers and others.
As medical services continue to consolidate in larger population centers, especially across the Midwest, providing care close to home has become increasingly important. For many communities, local healthcare is more than a convenience; it supports long-term vitality, strengthens economic stability, and helps attract families, businesses, and future investment.
Addressing these needs requires funding, technology, operational efficiency, and the ability to recruit and retain talent. Equally important is strong healthcare infrastructure: reliable, modern facilities that support advanced care, reflect community priorities, and position providers for long-term success.
Thoughtful planning and design play an important role in helping providers meet those demands while creating environments that can adapt as healthcare continues to evolve.
For more than 60 years, CMBA Architects has partnered with healthcare providers throughout South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska to create facilities that reflect each community’s unique needs and long-term vision. Whether renovating an existing campus or planning for expansion, the goal remains the same: designing spaces that help providers deliver exceptional care closer to home.
“Every healthcare project begins with people. When we understand the needs of a community, the spaces we create become tools that help caregivers do their best work.”
— Angela McCaulley, AIA, Associate Principal, CMBA Architects
One recent example is Hawarden Regional Healthcare, where a strategic facility expansion helped improve access to advanced medical services while creating a better experience for patients and staff alike.
Right-Sizing Care Delivery for Rural Communities
Hawarden Regional Healthcare | Hawarden, Iowa
The Hawarden Regional Healthcare project demonstrates how intentional design can strengthen rural access to care by bringing advanced resources closer to the community. With a 16,000-square-foot expansion, CMBA designed a modern outpatient clinic and state-of-the-art MRI suite that improves diagnostic capabilities, patient flow, and staff efficiency.
Connected to the existing hospital, the addition creates a more accessible, seamless environment that expands local services and reinforces the value of care delivered close to home.
As healthcare needs continue to evolve, the value of thoughtful, community-centered design will only become more important. Through projects like these, CMBA Architects helps providers deliver high-quality care closer to home while strengthening the long-term vitality of the communities they serve.
At its core, this work reflects a simple belief: it’s not just about the buildings themselves, but about the people and communities they serve. At CMBA, it’s not what we do — it’s who we do it for.
Because when healthcare environments are designed with people in mind, they’re not simply responding to today’s needs—they’re helping shape healthier communities for generations to come.
To learn more about CMBA Architects visit: cmbaarchitects.com/our-approach/healthcare
To learn more about SDAHO’s Associate Membership program, click here.
