Scheduled for completion in 2011, the Elmhurst Memorial Hospital Integrated Health Campus is the latest hospital to adopt the Planetree Model of Care. This model encourages caregivers to develop “healing partnerships” with patients and provide a continual flow of information and education. The holistic approach encourages healing on much more than the physical level.
The campus includes an 866,000-square-foot Acute Care Facility with 259 patient rooms and two 100,000-square-foot Medical Office Buildings, all connected to the existing Center for Health. In keeping with EMHC’s adoption of the Planetree philosophy, the design focuses on the patient’s experience. To support healing of the mind, body and spirit, the plan for the hospital grounds includes extensive landscaping, green spaces, ponds and healing gardens.
Pratt Design Studio is the Architect of Record for the building enclosure and is completing Construction Documents for all public spaces. We were also a team member for master planning and overall medical planning. We created the Interior Design aesthetic for the entire project and executed Construction Documents for interiors and furnishings of all the public spaces.
Extensive master planning included the development of the “zoning” of the program elements. The result is a layout that locates in the east zone those patients who require less care, while locating in the west zone those patients who require the most attention. Under this layout, ICU, Emergency Department, Operating Room and Cardiac patients are in the west zone. The Women’s Services and Cancer Treatment areas are located in the east zone. The zoning facilitates clear way-finding and promotes functionality of clinical areas, while also helping to enhance the overall patient/visitor and staff experience.
All patient rooms are private and include hotel-like amenities, such as room service on request and comfortable places for families to visit and stay with loved ones. To afford greater efficiency, the layout of all patient rooms is exactly the same, rather than mirror images as in many facilities. Beds, supplies and equipment locations are in the same place from room to room.
