Cutting Edge Healthcare Facility Design
The Cyberknife® cuts to the chase.
by Sonja Mirsky, LEED GA
One of the only certainties in healthcare today is change. Integrating emerging technologies into healthcare facility design has become a primary competitive advantage. The future of technology in healthcare promises unprecedented solutions that will improve the patient experience and the quality of care.
Planning to accommodate future technological developments and adaptation of new technologies into existing environments are prerequisites to successful healthcare facility design. However, technological integration should go hand in hand with exploring best practices from today’s leading healthcare companies and studying carefully the implications of healthcare reform legislation. All of these considerations will lead to achieving a good financial return on the design investment.
Technological Integration
I had the opportunity to be a part of the design team for a three room project in Roper Hospital in downtown Charleston, South Carolina, which was an update to house a cutting edge CyberKnife ®Robotic Radiosurgery System. A CyberKnife® is a noninvasive alternative to traditional surgery for the treatment of both cancerous and noncancerous tumors anywhere in the body. Using the same technology that is used to steer cruise missiles, this innovation can pinpoint tumors more accurately than standard radiotherapy. The challenge was to develop a design that not only brings comfort and reassurance to patient, but also integrates technological advancements into an existing hospital space. This high-profile project marked the first CyberKnife® in the state of South Carolina.
Roper Hospital’s Cyberknife® addition included renovating the existing x-ray department to accommodate a main 1,600-square-foot treatment vault. One million pounds of lead bricks with lead-filled steel tubes were used to construct the shielding for the CyberKnife ® unit, which also rests on a new 36-inch concrete slab. In fact, it is the first CyberKnife ® in the nation using only lead for shielding.
Height requirements for the radiation and structural components required renovations to the patient rooms located on the floor above. Outside of the treatment vault, a control room was built with areas for treatment planning and patient monitoring. A 150-square-foot equipment room was also designed to house the CyberKnife® equipment. These two rooms received a master control station, full-wall casework, and extensive new underground power provisions along with a compression pump back-up system. Finally, to make the treatment room a welcoming space, the design team photographed and commissioned paintings of Charleston low-country-themed murals and selected natural-finish materials to create a warm and tranquil ambiance.
What do we take away from this project?
The Roper Hospital project was not just about technology. I, with the project owner, gained important knowledge for future healthcare facility design projects. Here’s what we recommend:
- Look at the project from the perspective of the patient. Patients showing up for treatment with their families and friends are hopeful that this innovative piece of technology will rid them of their tumor and save their lives. You can never lose site of the fact that the patient is the single most important element in the design equation.
- Don’t forget the basics of healthcare design. Design for sterilization, cleanliness, and durability, selecting tranquil and calming finishes, creating ergonomic spaces for hardworking employees, bringing in natural light for patients and employees, and sustainable design are still critically important, especially in the context of new technologies.
- Do extensive technological research. The CyberKnife® came with an enormous equipment book that all project team members were required to read. Details such as shielding requirements, installation of specific lights, required locations for med gas hookups, need for a certain door type and size, control panel requirements, and necessary equipment storage were all crucial to a successful product. Read the manuals, know the terminology, interview patients, and talk to the hospital employees who will be using the technology to treat patients every day.
- Consider device integration. Whether it is an operating room, a smaller procedure room, or a patient bay with a bed, the equipment in a healthcare room is the main “attraction”. The space must be designed for comfort as well as functionality.
- Incorporate context. Although not necessarily an obvious consideration in healthcare design, do not disregard the patient environment. When artwork by local artists, and local materials are incorporated into the design, patients sense that special care and consideration were taken to make their treatment a more enjoyable experience.
Davis Wince creates efficient, patient-focused healthcare facilities on-time, under budget, and with the utmost consideration given to your patients’ evolving expectations. We are here to be a catalyst for innovation in incorporating emerging healthcare technologies into new and existing facilities.Please contact Jennifer Bobbitt, jbobbitt@daviswince.com with questions about the Cyberknife® project or our portfolio of work.
