Danny Ball, R.N., leads a tour of the new Critical Care Tower following last week’s ribbon-cutting ceremony. (photo by Joe Howell)
Patient move marks final phase of care tower’s debut
It began as a way to meet an ever-increasing demand for inpatient bed and surgical services, but the final product is a facility that perfectly meets the needs of the care team, patients and families, while creating a platform for innovations in health care.
The Critical Care Tower, a 329,000-square-foot addition to Vanderbilt University Hospital, opens Nov. 14 after three years of planning and construction. The 11-story, $169 million expansion houses 12 new operating rooms and 102 patient beds in the medical, surgical and neurological intensive care units.
“It is truly thrilling to think about the possibilities that this addition holds for patients at Vanderbilt and throughout the region that we serve,” said Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., vice chancellor for Health Affairs and dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
The central atrium of the Critical Care Tower features skylights to bring in sunshine. (photo by Joe Howell)
“What Vanderbilt holds dearly is innovation, and this new tower makes a strong statement about that emphasis. Everything about it is designed with an eye to the future, and the promise that discovery and advances in technology hold for our patients. This tower was many years in the making, the results are spectacular, and I am grateful to everyone who participated in its conception, design and construction.”
Patient rooms, which average 320 square feet, were designed in an innovative three-zone layout:
• The family zone reflects an increasing emphasis on patient- and family-centered care with a dedicated space for family to stay at the bedside. All rooms are private and include a full bath and sleeper sofa or recliner. Each unit also includes an active waiting area with a TV and computer and a quiet waiting area with comfortable recliners.
• The patient zone includes an ICU Smart Bed with enhanced functions and safety features. The head wall has a variety of hook-ups, including dialysis in every room. There is also a blood gas lab and radiology facilities on every unit to expedite critical care decision-making and diagnosis.
• The staff zone gives the care team plenty of room to work around the bedside, and there is a computer in every room for documentation and support.
The focal point of the tower is a central atrium with skylights bringing in natural sunlight. It can be accessed from the sixth floor and has comfortable seating, artwork, a meditation garden and live trees. Interior finishes mimic colors and textures found in nature. Walls are painted in soothing blue and green tones with wood and stone accents.
The new operating rooms are large enough to accommodate the latest technology, including two that were specially equipped with single-plane and biplane imaging systems. All ORs have the latest telemedicine capabilities. They are interchangeable and available for any service, and shelving is standardized so restocking is more efficient and specialty items can be brought in as needed.
Randalyn Dorsett, R.N., left, and Eugenia Crumpton, R.N., tour one of the new patient rooms in the Critical Care Tower. Each room has dedicated space for family to stay at the bedside. (photo by Joe Howell)
To support the expanded surgical services, a new blood bank was constructed on the fourth floor of The Vanderbilt Clinic. It consolidates the adult and pediatric service to increase efficiency.
“Our basic goal for this addition was to provide more patient beds and more operating rooms, but the end product, of course, is to take better care of patients,” said C. Wright Pinson, M.D., M.B.A., deputy vice chancellor for Health Affairs. “This is a historic time for the Medical Center. We have created a beautiful facility, but what is more beautiful is all the good things that are going happen in this building for patients and families for years to come.”
More than 200 VUMC staff and faculty members helped plan the CCT. To prepare for the patient move, staff conducted unit-specific orientation, a “Day in the Life” training exercise and a mock patient move.
“Our faculty and staff are truly excited to move in,” Pinson said.
Four of the CCT's 11 floors have been shelled for future growth.
“We have plans to finish out this building and renovate our current facility so that our entire hospital lives up to the reputation that we have created here,” said Larry Goldberg, chief executive officer of VUH. “It will take several years to get there, but now we have a challenge to live up to the promise and potential of this tower.”