As the end of construction on Phase 1 of our Building Hope expansion nears, we will begin to migrate several patient care units from existing spaces into the new building. Our cancer care, pediatric intensive care and cardiac intensive care units, plus our Emergency Department, will all pack up when the hammering stops.
Our inpatient surgical unit will expand into the areas vacated by the pediatric and cardiac intensive care units. Moving those two units will also allow us to provide additional family support space for the neonatal intensive care unit, which is not moving. We plan to fill the cancer care unit with inpatient beds for other units that are expanding like the psychiatry and medical units, but haven’t made a final decision on which units yet. We’re also still evaluating the best use for the space that the Emergency Department currently occupies.
A sky bridge will connect the new building to the rest of the hospital. In late 2012 we will implement a comprehensive new wayfinding system that includes updated zone names, artwork, signage and other aids to help families and staff navigate their way around the enlarged and reconfigured campus.
We’ll update or redesign the spaces being vacated using the same principles that guided our Building Hope expansion. Those include providing family-centered care, incorporating flexibility and eliminating waste.