Teri Oelrich
NBBJ
Teri Oelrich
Partner
NBBJ Architects
Washington, DC
Teri Oelrich is a nurse and partner at design and architectural firm NBBJ. She has served as a firm leader during the pandemic, helping to define strategy and clinical expertise to health care systems working to address the demands of COVID-19.
Her team provides analytical tools, a website forum to connect suppliers and health facilities in need, and plans the conversion of non-hospital spaces to makeshift inpatient units.
One analytical tool, the COVID-19 Inpatient Bed Demand Calculator, was developed pro bono for hospitals to understand the potential impact on their bed capacity given the varying impacts of newly admitted patients. The first version of the tool was launched early in March as nurses and health care workers around the country raced to flatten the curve.
Since then, Terri’s team has launched two more iterations based on feedback from hospitals. The tool is now being used by hospitals to understand when they can bring back elective cases without potentially over occupying their facility. Collaboration and understanding of immediate needs have been key, especially for access, egress, bed modeling, and setting up tents. The tool can be accessed at https://www.consulting.nbbjsites.com/covid-19-tools.
Terri: “I am so proud of our team to come together and quickly help so many of our clients, I may not be on the frontline, but I can help those who are there!”
