Medical Construction & Design

SEP-OCT 2015

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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Products applications, case studies & best practices The Pennsylvania Pres- byterian Medical Center of the University of Pennsylvania Health Sys- tem in Philadelphia is one of the premier medical centers on the East Coast. Penn Medicine's trauma program alone treats more than 2,200 patients annually, who have life-threatening injuries. In an ef ort to support PPMC's com- mitment to patients, staf and multiple missions of clinical care, the medical center spent three years creating a new trauma center. Beginning in 2012, PPMC began designing the Pavilion for Ad- vanced Care. Now complete, the six-story, 178,000-square-foot pavilion is the new home to Penn Medicine's Level I Regional Resource Trauma Center. Key features of the new facility include: » A designated heart and vascular critical care unit, neurosurgical and neurocritical care inpatient units » Increased capacity in the new emer- gency department, in addition to a new fi ve-bay rapid assessment treatment area designed to quickly and more accurately triage emergency patients » A new surgical services suite provides a Flooring in new trauma center aims to support patients and staf RX for Healing FLOORING SYSTEMS centralized admissions area and lounge for all surgical patients and their guests With a diversity of involved stakehold- ers, the many needs of the staf and the patients required a fl ooring product that could ef ectively deliver safety for the patients, enhanced ergonomic benefi ts for the staf and superior acoustic properties to ensure a quiet healing environment. Colleen Harrington, designer with Ewing Cole, the architectural fi rm involved with this project, was tasked with specifying a product based on four primary considerations: "Noise, a critical concern from the user, really focused on footfall and corridor activity-generated noise," said Harrigan. "Joint relief for the staf and ergonom- ics was a defi nite concern/objective. A wood-look aesthetic and designing a warm, comforting space that was not institutional was also important." And last, but not least, memory with respect to vertical deformation. Indenta- tion recovery from the weight of the beds was critical said Harrigan. The hospital selected 5,000 square yards of Ecore Commercial Flooring's Forest rx for the patient bays, treatment areas, corridors and nurses' stations. Using Ecore's patented itstru technology, which fusion bonds a 5 millimeter Ecore recycled rubber backing to a vinyl surface, Forest rx reduces the risk of injury associ- ated with falls. "Force reduction tests have shown that the fall impact is reduced 16.9 percent when Forest rx is installed," said Mark Huxta, director of healthcare sales for Ecore. "Because of the rubber backing, Forest rx of ers an ergonomic solution, compared to other resilient fl oors." When selecting the building materials for PAC, the hospital chose high-contrast resources and pops of bright colors to help decrease patient and visitor anxiety. Color and material transitions were also utilized to distinguish between staf , patient and family zones within the ICU patient rooms. With regard to its acoustic benefi ts, when using IIC tests (in accordance with ASTM E492 and E2179), Forest rx allows the most basic assemblies to exceed the strict IIC 50 building code requirements, reducing impact sound more than 20 decibels with no ceiling below. An under- graduate research study conducted by the University of Hartford's Acoustic Program in 2014 concluded that Forest rx is as quiet as carpet. Forest rx provided a unique solution for many of the common problems experi- enced by both patients and staf at the PAC. Furthermore, it also saved time and money on fl ooring installation costs, since no sepa- rate underlayment was required. To learn more, visit: ecorecommercial flooring.com/rx/forest-rx.php. Main reception desk at the heart and vascular intensive care unit at the Pennsylvania Presbyterian Advanced Care Pavilion. An inpatient "room with a view" at the Pennsylvania Presbyterian Advanced Care Pavilion. 72 Medical Construction & Design | SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2015 | MCDM AG.COM

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