Newswise — Two-and-a-half years after the first shovel was put into the ground, Geisinger’s $100 million Hospital for Advanced Medicine (HfAM) prepares to welcome its first patients on Feb. 9.
The nine-story facility, which broke ground on June 21, 2007 and is attached to the Geisinger Medical Center (GMC) structure, provides more than 308,000 square feet of space to treat patients in need of advanced cardiology and vascular services.
“The Hospital for Advanced Medicine represents a considerable investment by Geisinger in the health and well-being of our community, and demonstrates Geisinger's ongoing commitment to ensure our patients have access to the specialists, sub-specialists, facilities and technology necessary for the most advanced medical care possible." said Glenn Steele Jr., M.D., Ph.D., president and CEO of Geisinger Health System.
A major focus of the HfAM facility is on flexibility and technology.
“All patient care rooms will be single occupancy, and consistent in design to facilitate movement by clinicians within the room,” said Lynn Miller, Chief Administrative Officer, Geisinger Medical Center. “One of the highlights is the acuity adaptable design, which allows patients to recover in one room. The room adapts to their changing needs and eliminates the need for patients to be transferred to different levels of care.”
The completed first phase of construction includes 30 inpatient acuity adaptable cardiovascular care beds on the seventh floor, while the eighth floor will house 30 inpatient cardiac care telemetry beds where critical care patients will be closely monitored by special machines. In the future, the fourth and fifth floors will house outpatient services, including vascular surgery, vascular laboratories, non-invasive cardiology, cardiology, cardiac surgery and thoracic surgery. Four new operating rooms will be located on the second floor, while the 24-hour Atrium Café on the lower level will be available to families and employees.
In the future, additional clinical space will be completed on the lobby level. Interventional cardiology will be relocated from the main hospital to the third floor, while Geisinger has the flexibility to expand the surgical suite and add more beds or clinic space.
In addition, Geisinger is launching an eICU® Program that will enhance physicians’ ability to care for Geisinger’s sickest patients in the HfAM and other intensive care units at Geisinger Medical Center and Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center.
Supported 24/7 by Geisinger critical care nurses and physicians, the eICU technology analyzes patient data from monitors, life support systems, electronic health records, medical orders and other sources of information, and alerts staff when a patient is trending toward a serious health event. This technology extends the specialists’ ability to provide high-quality patient care. “The program will complement care delivered by Geisinger critical care physicians,” said Kenneth Wood, D.O., Vice Chairman, Division of Medicine, Director, eICU Program, and Associate, Critical Care Medicine/Pulmonary Medicine, Geisinger Health System. “The vision of this program is to improve patient safety, as well as the efficiency of care that is delivered. This technology ensures that our critically ill patients have access to the safest, evidenced-based patient care available.”
The HfAM has been submitted for review by the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED-certification (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Certified healthcare buildings feature environmentally friendly design, recycled materials used in construction, and increased energy-efficiency achieved by maximizing natural window light in patient rooms and offices.
“This application for LEED-certification is not only a commitment we are making to be green in this new facility, but a systemwide initiative to follow environmentally friendly practices for all of our facilities,” said Miller.
Ewing Cole is the architectural firm and Torcon Inc. is the construction firm for the Hospital for Advanced Medicine. More than 25 local contractors were hired for this project.
About Geisinger Health SystemGeisinger is a $2.1 billion integrated health services organization widely recognized for its innovative use of the electronic health record, and the development and implementation of innovative care models including advanced medical home and ProvenCare ("warranty") program. The system serves more than 2.3 million residents throughout 42 counties in central and northeastern Pennsylvania. For more information, visit www.geisinger.org.
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