TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — In April 2016, the Munson Medical Center’s Cowell Family Cancer Center opened its door to the public with the mission to provide quality medical treatment in a serene, nature-infused environment. In 2017, the advocacy group, Less Cancer, recognized the Cowell Family Cancer Center for leadership in cancer prevention efforts. Now, the center has officially hung a new plaque displaying its recently earned LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.

Cowell Family Cancer Center credits this achievement to several green features implemented throughout the facility. These features include a 3,900-square-foot green roof using succulent plants that help reduce storm water runoff, protecting the nearby Kids Creek and the quality of water. The roof was a collaboration project by the Watershed Center and the Grand Traverse Conservation District. Another vital element of the center’s construction was high-efficiency electrical and mechanical systems. Other features encouraging “smart commuting” that include covered bike racks, showers and lockers for commuters and a bus stop also played a part in the LEED certification.

Cowell Family Cancer Center’s Core Value of Stewardship

Munson Healthcare Vice President of Facilities Steve Tongue explained that stewardship is part of the company’s core values, stating that a healthy environment “is a fundamental building block of a healthy community,” according to a statement announcing the certification.

In that same statement, other sustainable efforts at Munson Healthcare were underlined. These efforts include the Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital staff in Frankfort, Mich., voting to pay 25 cents more for takeout items packaged in compostable containers made from corn; using a purple-container disposal program for pharmaceuticals to ensure that “active substances” are disposed of properly and do not contaminate the environment through the water and/or soil; and installing a new boiler plant, lighting upgrades and water conservation measures at Manistee Hospital. The estimated annual energy cost savings are more than $100,000 annually.

In addition to critical medical treatments, the center offers life-affirming health and wellness services that treat the whole body and mind to promote physical, emotional, mental and spiritual healing, according to the organization’s website. The cancer center also provides individualized supportive care, including a spa-like health and wellness suite offering services ranging from yoga to meditation and massage.

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GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Spectrum Health and Holland Hospital celebrated alongside leaders and other associated healthcare partners on March 1 for the grand opening of Health Pointe Clinic, a facility which provides convenient access and coordinated care to patients in northern Ottawa County and the lakeshore region. The opening drew nearly 3,000 people to the two-hour event, stunning both the community and healthcare officials alike.

Nearly four years ago, Spectrum Health and Holland Hospital signed an agreement to seek clinical collaborations, eventually working together to acquire this significant physical presence in the northwestern Ottawa County healthcare market. The opening of the Health Pointe facility marks a major milestone in the committed and long-term relationship between the two organizations, according to Spectrum Health’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Tina Freese Decker.

AECOM, with offices in Grand Haven, Mich., served as architect for the $50 million, 103,000-square-foot facility, working closely with the facility owner, as well as Spectrum Health’s planning and design team. Both worked to design a facility that guarantees optimal daylight and warmth in an attempt to develop a more calming atmosphere, helping the administration, patients and physicians to give and receive care in a restful environment. This did, however, become a challenging task considering that the team had to design within the extremely cold weather conditions of Michigan. It needed to withstand extreme cold, and have the ability to maintain warmth and achieve maximum daylight for the comfort of its occupants.

“It’s been scientifically proven that natural light enhances positive health outcomes in patients,” said David Warden, enerGfacade brand manager, YKK AP America Inc.

Initially, the biggest challenge was the curtain wall around the perimeter of the building due to the condensation resistance factor (CRF) requirements. “It is critical for healthcare facilities to reduce or to eliminate the potential condensation forming on non-porous surfaces, such as glazing and framing, to maintain a healthy environment for occupants,” explained Warden. “Studies have shown that viruses thrive in humidity ranges above 55 percent relative humidity and below 30 percent relative humidity. The ideal solution was to choose a curtain wall and sunshade solution that could provide a CRF capable of accommodating recommended humidity levels for healthcare facilities.”

Health Pointe hosts several medical specialists and provides services including primary and urgent care, a lab draw station, surgery center, pediatrics, radiology, endoscopy, orthopedics, general surgery, cardiology, audiology, urology, gastroenterology, colon and rectal surgery, and neurology.

Both Spectrum Health and Holland Hospital officials emphasized their shared mission of expanding local access and providing greater choices for high-quality, affordable healthcare while ensuring their shared commitment to their community.

Health Pointe Executive Director Joshua Troast closed the ribbon cutting by talking about his personal connection to this project. “My family and I are residents of this community, and I cannot even begin to tell you how proud I am to be standing here,” he said in a statement. “As a husband and a father, I want my family to have the opportunity to receive high-quality care close to where we live, work and play.”

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