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Running parallel with the construction of a transformative surgery and inpatient center addition, Van Wert Health saw an opportunity to relocate and expand their existing cardiopulmonary services to a fresh, more accessible location. |
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This new suite in the existing hospital would become the home of Nuclear Medicine featuring a new GE gamma camera, paired with other services, such as pulmonary function testing, echocardiogram, EEG, and stress test rooms. |
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Given the complexity of the new services being both outpatient-scheduled visits and inpatient services, the layout of the department was designed to be “dual-sided”. This allowed for outpatient visitors to be greeted into a new dedicated waiting space, while the clinical spaces offer ease of access for more urgent or non-scheduled inpatient-use by the med/surgical floor. The Design Collaborative team focused all effort on ensuring these complex functions would be efficient for staff while also being accommodating for patients and visitors. During a nuclear medicine procedure, a patient typically is injected with a radioactive “tracer” substance that takes an amount of time to uptake before the image is actually collected by the gamma camera. After the procedure, patients are escorted to the new lounge area, where they can wait in comfort before the images are collected and read. The layout of the lounge needed to feel welcoming and also provide a sense of connection with the nursing staff nearby. |
An additional part of the design process included proper space planning for the gamma camera, readily accessible support equipment, and the adjacent “Hot Lab”, where all radioactive substances are stored and processed. This took coordination for lead-lined drywall, concrete slab trenching, ductwork, and wiring to all come together seamlessly and create a functional Nuclear Medicine room.
Megan has an unmatched focus when she is working on a project. She listens carefully to each clients’ needs and digs deep into every detail to ensure that all projects are designed to best suit them. Megan’s Evidence-Based Design Accreditation & Certification helps her develop design solutions that are rooted in research to help achieve…