First phase of new Eastern Maine Medical Center patient tower opens

Phase 1 of a multiphase $247 million modernization of Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) in Bangor is finished with the recent opening of part of the new Penobscot Pavilion.

With expansive views of the adjacent Penobscot River, the 361,000-square-foot tower supports a new main lobby, cafe, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), two floors of private patient rooms, and a new sterile processing department.

The private rooms are designed to meet the needs of a wide range of patients, and provide a warm and relaxing atmosphere for healing by surrounding the patient with organic textures and ample natural light.

“This project incorporates the latest advances in evidence-based design,” says Dan Morris, partner, E4H MorrisSwitzer Environments for Health, the design firm working on the project.

“Views of nature, natural light, decentralized nurses’ stations, adaptable-acuity single-patient rooms, patient lifts, and respite areas for patient families and staff are all incorporated into the design of the new tower,” he says.

The 29 single-bassinet rooms in the new NICU are designed to accommodate around-the-clock care for EMMC's most vulnerable patients. There also are six NICU rooms designed for twins.

The NICU, 25 postpartum rooms, 32 inpatient telemetry rooms and the 24-bed critical care unit feature rooming-in accommodations for families, all of which can improve patient outcomes by accommodating them in the healing process.

Two of the new operating rooms are hybrid ORs equipped with advanced medical imaging devices, enabling minimally invasive surgery.

The design of these areas will focus on infection control by taking into account the carefully orchestrated workflow of the surgeons and staff, as well as creating a separate, dedicated sterile pathway for supplies and instruments.

The spaces will be connected to the existing ambulatory surgery department, creating one of the largest, most comprehensive surgery centers in the state.

The ongoing project at Eastern Maine Health System’s flagship medical center is designed to help the hospital adapt to emerging technology and modern procedures while accommodating increased demand on a limited footprint of a campus dating back to 1895.

The patient tower is being built through a construction management joint venture between Cianbro Corp., Pittsfield, Maine, and Brasfield & Gorrie, Birmingham, Ala., and will be completed in 2017

In other health care facility news:

• Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center broke ground on a $244 million, 197,000-square-foot hospital tower on Thursday. The new tower will add 138 private patient rooms, six large operating rooms, a rooftop café and more to meet the needs of the growing South County region of San Diego.

  The design-build team for the project includes Hensel Phelps, SmithGroupJJR and AVRP Studios. Opening is anticipated in 2019.

• Coryell Memorial Healthcare System held a groundbreaking Nov. 10 to kick off construction of major renovation and expansion project at Coryell Memorial Hospital, Gatesville, Texas.

  Designed by Mike Hale Architect, Adolfson & Peterson Construction is serving as the construction manager for the project, which includes approximately 117,000 square feet of additions and renovations.  

  The hospital will add operating rooms, materials management, a new 25-bed hospital wing, administration offices, a 16-bed physical rehabilitation wing and a new central plant. 

  Plans call for renovation of the pharmacy, lab and offices and converting current hospital rooms into The Welcome Assisted Living rooms and some of the current Welcome rooms into The Oaks at Coryell independent living apartments. Construction is scheduled to finish in 2018. 

Want to see your new health care construction project featured on HFM Daily? Email project information and photos to Senior Editor Jeff Ferenc or tweet to him @JeffFerenc.