Art and Healthcare

Blair L. Sadler is a Senior Fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, and a member of the faculty at the UCSD Schools of Medicine and Management. He served as President and CEO of Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego from July 1980 until July 2006. Under his leadership, Rady Children’s was the first pediatric hospital in the United States to win the Ernest A. Codman Award for its work in developing clinical pathways. He speaks to healthcare boards of trustees about their role in patient safety and quality. He served on the board of the Center for Health Design, and has been heavily involved in developing the business case for building better hospitals through evidence-based design. He has consulted with several health systems throughout the world regarding building optimally safe and low stress hospitals through evidence-based design.

Annette Ridenour is the president of Aesthetics, Inc., a 30 year old healthcare design firm, based in San Diego. She has built an international reputation in collaborating with healthcare institutions to bring harmony, balance, and beauty to the built environment through art programs, architecture, interior design, and graphic design. She is a recognized leader, consultant, and lecturer on evidence-based regional arts programs that reflect the vision and values of healthcare organizations. Annette is also a co-founder of Aesthetic Audio Systems, Inc., implementing music programs for healing, therapeutic, and environmental improvements in healthcare settings. Annette has served as board member and president of the Society for the Arts in Healthcare, and is the 2006 recipient of the Janice Palmer Award. She currently serves on the Advisory Board for The CARITAS Project.