Healthcare Design - August 2017 - 69

B U I L D I N G A B E T T E R PAT I E N T E X P E R I E N C E

This year's crop of Showcase projects included several pediatric facilities, which
were noted for demonstrating a level of sophistication that was appealing to
patients of all ages as well as their parents. For example, the Buerger Center for
Advanced Pediatric Care at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in
Philadelphia, one of this year's Award of Merit winners, offers a "collection of
good experiences," says juror Ron
Simmons, associate architect at
Nelsen Partners (Scottsdale, Ariz.),
including a colorful exterior and
interior setting as well as gardens.
Inside the main lobby, a playful
ramp replaces a standard staircase,
providing a fun, new experience for
families each time they walk into the
space. "It's an element that's architecturally interesting but unto itself
is an experience that lures you in to the encounter," Cohen says. "How many kids
are talking about that ramp when asked, 'How did things go at the hospital?'"
The Buerger Center was also one of several projects noted for transforming
the waiting experience (for more, see page 72), with others recognized for upping the ante through the use of fireplaces, modern furnishings, and light-filled
spaces.

Several projects
were successful in
maximizing their
site or surrounding
landscape.

A VIEW TO REMEMBER

More memorable patient experiences are also being delivered by focusing
on giving patients, especially those making frequent visits for ongoing treatment, different visual elements to experience each time. Several cancer centers
provided notable examples, including University of Wisconsin Cancer Center at
ProHealth Care in Waukesha, Wis., which received an Honorable Mention in this
year's Showcase (for more, see page 74). The project uses a variety
of materials-both on the interior and exterior-to create visual diversity. "It gives them the expectation of seeing something new on each visit," says Kenneth Monroe, associate
project director at The Joint Commission (Algonquin, Ill.).
"Anything to distract the patient from being in a hospital
or making them feel like they're in an institution."
Jurors acknowledged there's a fine line, however, to
providing visual interest and going too far. In some cases,
they noted projects with unusual massing or overly complex
material selections that became distracting or detracted from
the overall aesthetic. Other design misses include a project where
regional art was displayed in a corridor but wasn't illuminated properly, making
it hard to notice. "A project's success is in the details," one juror commented. "The
projects that were able to deliver on that stood out."
In addition to promising strides in materials and aesthetics, jurors said, several projects were successful in maximizing their site or surrounding landscape
to bring in views of nature, daylighting, and other positive distractions. For
example, Hollis Cancer Center at Lakeland Regional Health, one of the finalists
in this year's Showcase, incorporates a lakeside garden and outdoor terrace in

the same fluid shape as the building to create a cohesive
statement. Several cancer care centers provided access
to the outdoors for patients undergoing treatment,
while UC San Diego Health Jacobs Medical Center in
La Jolla, Calif., an Award of Merit winner, has several
elevated gardens on its 10-story patient tower that
patients, staff, and visitors can access (for more, see
page 70).
Jurors commented that while access is important,
it's also critical that designs consider how patients,
family members, or staff would experience outdoor
spaces. For example, in one project, a healing garden
surrounded by windows resulted in the sense of "being
watched" from the interior, which jurors noted was a
missed opportunity.
THINKING AHEAD

In reviewing the finalists, Cohen says he hoped to see
more projects show innovation in creating "a new era
of facilities management," such as using cogeneration
plants, advances in energy efficiency, or sustainable
design solutions. He notes the industry is advancing
in transitioning to LEDs, establishing water conservation programs, and providing natural light to patients,
though. In some cases, jurors noted projects featuring
nontraditional layouts or deep floorplates seemed
more design-oriented than patient- or staff-focused
and could result in inefficiencies that drive up the cost
of operations.
However, this year's submissions illustrated improvements in team collaboration, such as the University of Wisconsin project that used patient and
staff advisory groups to gather project input to ensure designs were right. Jurors agreed, though, that
there's still a need to bring in more stakeholders to
contribute to the design-and ultimate success-of
healthcare projects. "The projects that brought in
these patients, families, community [members],
along with staff, came up with some of the most
innovative designs," says juror Barbara Wagner,
senior vice president of Clark Construction Co.
(Irvine, Calif.). Another source of inspiration,
Simmons says, were the projects that transcended
design and architecture to "create good outcomes
for the patient and their loved ones," he says. 
Anne DiNardo is executive editor of Healthcare Design.
She can be reached at A N N E . D I N A R D O @ E M E R A L D
EXPO.COM.

AUGUST 2017

Healthcare Design - August 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Healthcare Design - August 2017