Medical Construction & Design

MAY-JUN 2016

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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HOLISTIC SPACES H O L I S T I C S P A C E S ISSUE FOCUS Applying keystone experiences Two recently completed hospitals have integrated keystone experiences into the planning process to create holistic envi- ronments that engage the community. Owensboro Health Regional Hospital planned its 780,000-square-foot, 477-bed replacement hospital around workfl ow ef ciency and the ideal patient experience on a 162-acre site in Owensboro, Kentucky. To identify hospital, community and patient needs, three interactive work- shops were facilitated with 100 people grouped into 10 task forces using a patient journal handbook. Hospital staf , physi- cians, administrators and community members volunteered to interview and observe patients, families and other staf members to explore positive and negative experiences in a healthcare environment. In post-interview meetings, the team categorized the feedback, translated them into narratives that captured the ideal day-in-the-life patient experience and re- enacted experiences in skits to formulate a vision for design. Experiences important to patients included campus entry and easy naviga- tion to designated parking, clear and identifi able inpatient/outpatient entries, concierge services in the main lobby, front door visibility of retail services and din- ing, single point-of-access for all diagnos- tic services, dedicated women's services entry and emphasis on patient and family integration and comfort. Specifi c details to these touchpoints translated into the fi nal design. For instance, the hospital emerges in the distance through tall wetland grasses and tree allées to signify circulation paths — answering patients' desires for a restorative, natural setting upon ap- proach. A clearly defi ned entry along an undulating façade leads to a soaring, two- story lobby fl ooded with natural light and trimmed in indigenous stone. Large lobby windows and ample corridor windows overlook courtyards, gardens and other green spaces to of er visual and physical respite. A cafeteria overlooks an exterior courtyard and provides easy access to the outside — further connecting the interior to the exterior. Every fl oor of ers patients and families exterior views of the lush campus. Family spaces provide a place for visitors to relax in the inpatient room. A rooftop garden further extends the heal- ing benefi ts of nature. Similarly at Northeast Georgia Medical In the fi nal design of Northeast Georgia Medical Center Braselton, repetitive balconies off staff lounges and a ground-fl oor patio provide exterior views and access to nature. > Keystone experience responses called for natural material that refl ected regional architecture and a welcoming lobby that could be used for multiple purposes. 40 Medical Construction & Design | M AY/ J U N E 2016 | MCDM AG.COM

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