University of Utah Health Rehabilitation Center of Excellence and Patient Room of the Future

At the University of Utah, the Orthopedic Center of Excellence remodel occurs in the top level of an existing six floor patient tower. While retaining the general location of patient rooms, the entire unit was re-imagined utilizing glass and wood materials. The entry was opened with a strong, graphic statement framing a view into the unit from the elevators. The new open layout is intuitive and provides a view into the elliptical Center of Excellence which includes a Physical Therapy Gym, Family Nutrition Bar, and Flexible Education and Conference Center capable of accommodating up to 100 people. The elliptical circuit around the core becomes the track for rehabilitating patients, with resting perches at intervals along the way. An outer track connects all the patient rooms and features the same resting spots.

Nurse/Provider stations are located conveniently at the quadrants of each patient room grouping with adjacent satellite support rooms. Footstep studies have shown this results in a dramatic reduction in staff travel over the current layout, creating the optimal framework for staffing flexibility.

In the patient rooms, the challenge was to create a well- zoned and accessible room and restroom that enhances a patient’s sense of dignity and confidence in their healing process. The patient room of the future was designed with continuous handrails that allow a patient to enter the bathroom directly in line with the bed through a non-intrusive slider door to a hand-wash sink, toilet and shower. The optimized headwall utilizes low-profile charting stations and power/med gas ports to not hinder passage to the bathroom. Additionally, continuous handrails lead patients as soon as they have been okayed to explore their room and the activities and facilities just outside.

Area:

27,638 SF

Year:

2018 Est.

Location:

Salt Lake City, Utah

Category:

Healthcare