The Challenge
To support the evolving need for women’s and children’s health services, providers must consider care for the patient as well as the well-being of their family. Barge Design Solutions' challenge was to complete a 36-bed addition that expanded the hospital’s pediatric program capacity while also adapting to the increasing need for obstetrics services. The client anticipated a growing need for women’s and children’s care within the community. This project also included a surgery and patient tower.
The Solution
Modifications to an operational hospital required attention to construction phasing, life-safety coordination, and engineering logistics. The design team considered practical logistics to allow for future bed expansion to three additional floors.
The women’s and children’s care renovation and expansion included universal beds, an expanded surgical suite, 18 labor and delivery suites, and additional operating rooms. These features allowed the hospital to keep mothers and babies together as much as possible during their first precious days. The expansion also included a cesarean surgical suite located within the labor and delivery area in the event a surgical delivery becomes necessary.
A covered outpatient entrance was incorporated into the design of the patient tower for convenient access to registration for patients who need assistance. Other renovation and expansion areas featured universal patient rooms, the central sterile suite, the infusion suite, admitting, and preadmission testing.
Other features and services:
- 18 suites with six labor and delivery suites;
- 10 postpartum recovery suites;
- Open visitation to support family-centered care;
- 12-position holding nursery for babies who need special monitoring or continuous observation;
- Next-generation technology with modern amenities to include the latest industry standards for patient monitoring;
- Security features.
Contributions to success:
- Universal Care patient room strategy provides the hospital with greater flexibility;
- Designed to consider phased construction adjacent to occupied areas;
- Follows a patient and family-centered planning philosophy.
The Result
Barge's successful completion of this project demonstrates the team's expertise in healthcare facility design and planning. The team's ability to address the specific needs of women's and children's services while also considering the logistical challenges of renovating an operational hospital has resulted in a facility that enhances the quality of care while improving the overall experience for patients and families.
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