In This Issue Cord Blood Bank Saves Amelia ... - SSM Health Care

10 NetWork — Our Bimonthly Publication for Employees, Physicians and FriendsGroundbreakingArchitectural renderings of the soon-to-bebuiltSSM St. Clare Health Center in southwestSt. Louis County show a campus designed withthe convenience and accessibility of patients at theforefront. The new hospital, which will replaceSSM St. Joseph Hospital of Kirkwood, will openin late 2008.“Our goal is to redesign the health-care experience,from the ground up, for patients, physicians and staff,”said Ronald J. Levy, president and chief executiveofficer of SSM Health Care-St. Louis. “Withoutquestion, this is not going to be your traditional, cutfrom-the-same-moldhospital.”How will St. Clare HealthCenter be different?“The design is focused on creating a healing,human-centered environment, while respondingthoughtfully to how patients and family membersactually use and interact with a hospital,” said BobPorter, SSMHC-St. Louis executive vice presidentfor strategy and business development and St. Clareproject executive.For instance, the design incorporates four distinctpatient experience zones—emergency, outpatientservices, inpatient care and surgical/specialty services—each with clear landmarks, separate parking and easyentrances. A central “town square” convenientlyconnects the zones, while offering dining and retailservices, a business/health information center andmeeting space. The hospital will also have meditation/spiritual areas throughout.For more information, go to www.ssmstclare.com.An aerial view of SSM St. Clare Health Center and itsadjoining medical office building (structure at top left).Ground was broken for the new hospital in June.Innovative features of St. Clare• Multiple, decentralized nursing alcoves, ratherthan the traditional centralized nursingstation, to place caregivers closer to patients.The ability to see patients at all timesimproves safety and response.• Large, all-private patient suites with sleepingaccommodations for family members. Roomswill also feature large windows to maximizenatural light while offering views of attractivegardens and water features.• Consistent patient room configurations sostaff is always familiar with room layout andequipment locations to reduce errors.• Acuity adaptable rooms will reduce the need totransfer patients from one area of the hospitalto another, which helps in preventing infectionswhile improving patient comfort and safety.• Patients control their room temperature,lighting, menus, meal times and more.• A hotel-like “front stage/back stage”orientation to optimize work flows. Whilepublic spaces are focused on warmth,comfort and visual appeal, high-pacedbackstage areas, like procedure prep/sterile/materials distribution, stress efficiency andquick turnaround.• Flexible, modular design to accommodatefuture growth and rapid technology changes.• The latest information technology, such aselectronic health records, to promote qualitycare and patient safety. Bar codes on patients’wristbands will correspond with bar codes onmedications to lessen the risk of errors.The St. Clare Health Center site plan — supplied by the architecturalfirm Hammel, Green & Abrahamson, Inc. — shows multiple points ofentry and key areas on the campus.The main drive into St. Clare provides a view of the towers that include all 158 private patient-family suites, along with a prominent family andvisitors’ zone (protruding section). The visitor zone on each floor will include amenities such as a kitchen area, a fireplace and computer access.November / December 2006SSM Health Care