This article describes the processes and tools used by WellStar Paulding Hospital to plan and design a new intensive care unit (ICU) as part of a 108-bed replacement hospital on a new site. Seeking to create a culture of safety centered around patient care, quality, and efficiency, the team used multiple external resources to increase their effectiveness as participants in the design process and to ensure that the new ICU achieves the functional performance goals identified at the beginning of planning and design. Specific focus on evidence-based design was assisted through participation in the Center for Health Design's Pebble Project process as well as the Joint Commission International Safe Health Design Learning Academy Pilot Program.
As the shift to ambulatory care increases, many established acute care facilities are searching for ways to serve their communities more effectively, to maintain their position in the market--and to ensure continuing, healthy revenue streams. This article explores some of the issues faced by such an institution in a rapidly growing market in the Southeast. For this article, we refer to it as Metropolitan Hospital.
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