Children's hospital wraps up multiphased renovation project

The $27.5 million renovation of Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital at Broward Health Medical Center in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., was a multiphased project that began in 2015. Construction firm Skanska USA wrapped up the project in November, which including renovating inpatient and outpatient areas in various pediatric units across the hospital. Most notably, 30 new, state-of-the-art private rooms were added in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU has a total bed capacity of 63.  

The new private rooms were designed following NICU guidelines and keeping current and future hospital needs in mind, while creating more space for patients, their families and hospital staff. A total of 12 beds were added to the pediatric intensive care unit, 20 to the pediatric step-down units, and 12 more beds were installed in the oncology and hematology departments. All new and remodeled patient room units share a unified, nautical design theme that includes custom-built headwalls featuring different sea creatures such as seahorses, dolphins, and sea turtles, as well as play spaces for patients.

“These renovations were specifically designed and built with the families in mind, to help ease the burden of prolonged hospital stays by increasing privacy and comfort for the young patients receiving care and their families,” says Michael C. Brown, Skanska’s executive vice president and general manager for the Florida region.

The Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital remained open during the project’s duration, with the Skanska team working closely with the hospital staff to ensure building activity did not disrupt hospital operations. This included utilizing Skanska’s InSite Monitor app that tracks noise, vibration, dust, and differential pressure in spaces to help maintain a safe and clean environment, while working near occupied spaces where patients were receiving care.