When Rush built the original lab in 2003, it became a leader in simulation training. Over the years, however, the need for the facility had greatly outgrown the space. “Their current space that they use simulation for was well undersized,” said Rich Melone, Reed Construction’s senior project manager working on the new simulation lab. “They were going through very costly measures to constantly rotate the equipment in and out of the small square footage, and they just weren’t very efficient.”

After factoring the need for storage, university affairs Vice President Lois Halstead, figured only about 100 square feet could actually be used for training. The tight squeeze, in addition to the time and personnel needed to move equipment around, strained education efforts to the point that many requests for simulation time had to be denied. A feasibility study determined that moving the lab from the Armour Academic Center to the Kellogg building on the north side of campus would give the space and functionality needed. Construction would then be done in two phases, with Phase I completed by the time classes start on Sept. 15.

Chicago-based Reed Construction, general contractor on the project, is putting the finishing touches on Phase I, which consists of a 7,400-square-foot space that includes four debriefing conference rooms and simulation labs with adjacent control rooms for the emergency department, pediatrics, OR and general patient care. Phase II, totaling about 7,600 square feet, will shortly follow the first phase and includes 10 patient rooms, three more debriefing conference rooms, and additional labs and training rooms.

When both phases are completed, the state-of-the-art facility will offer seven new training environments that simulate real-world patient care settings where students and caregivers can train together. Training sessions will be digitally recorded and projected to an adjoining classroom for others to view, and later participants can review and analyze their performances through a structured debriefing process.

In addition to patient simulators that display lifelike responses to treatment and external stimuli, the new center will incorporate a wet laboratory, where trainees can practice skills like central line insertions or surgical stitches using cadaveric body parts. Another program will allow students and staff to work with live actors posing as patients and family members, strengthening diagnostic and communication skills.

Funding for the new lab came from several sources, including donations, the state of Illinois and the university’s capital improvement funds. While the shiny new lab will be a highlight for the medical center’s education programs, Melone said the journey to build it presented some challenges, mainly with the fact that the new area for the lab had been decommissioned for a many years.

“A lot of items that were assumed to be functional needed to actually be diagnosed and refurbished and/or replaced,” Melone said. “Because most of the existing building automation systems were buried in walls and ceilings that were inaccessible, it was assumed that those were functional items just turned off. We had issues with the HVAC and with the horizontal plumbing lines that sat dormant in ceilings. Everything basically dried out from age and not being used.”

With all construction issues addressed, the extensive changes to the simulation center are poised to provide advanced training in a highly efficient setting.

“Simulation is a safe place to make mistakes,” said the center’s co-director Dr. Michelle Sergel in a press statement. “It’s where we practice unfamiliar techniques and new procedures, address our inefficiencies and learn from our errors so that by the time a team treats your loved one, they know exactly how to get it right.”

The post Rush University Revamps Simulation Lab appeared first on HCO News.

Reed Construction renovated the space to accommodate the installation of an uninterrupted power supply system designed to provide back-up power to the department’s three CT Scanners.

Nicholas Siorek, project manager for Reed Construction’s Healthcare Group, led the project. It was completed while operations were maintained throughout the construction. PFB Architects provided the architectural services and T & M Associates provided the engineering services.

The University of Chicago Medical Center is an academic medical center based in Hyde Park on the campus of the University of Chicago. Established in 1927, the Medical Center is a not-for-profit corporation that operates the Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital, the primary adult patient care facility; the Comer Children’s Hospital, devoted to the medical needs of children; the Chicago Lying-in Hospital, a maternity and women’s hospital; Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine, an ambulatory care facility with the full spectrum of preventive, diagnostic, and treatment functions; and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, one of the country’s top medical schools.

The post Reed Completes University Hospital Renovation appeared first on HCO News.

The project began with the complete demolition of the existing administrative space followed by construction of the Same Day Surgery Center. The new center features 24 recovery bays, nursing stations, a support area and a newly renovated main lobby reception and information desk area. Reed Construction also installed extensive new MEP systems, sheet vinyl floors, solid surface countertops and extensive custom millwork throughout the space. New HVAC, plumbing, electrical, fire protection and medical gas systems were also built.

Reed officials say they took special precautions during construction to ensure patient safety and an uninterrupted working environment for the hospital’s staff.

“The construction area at the Same Day Surgery Center was adjacent to a high-profile area and the main traffic pattern, said Reed’s executive vice president Scott Pickands. “Located at the main entrance to the hospital and near the main elevator lobby, Reed Construction installed a series of containment barricades which were maintained for noise, dust and fire,” he continued. “The construction area continuously monitored and maintained negative pressure and was held to the highest level of infectious control levels throughout the duration of the construction project,”
Pickands led the project team. Proteus Group provided the architectural and engineering services.

As a clinical partner of Rush University Medical Center, Rush Oak Park Hospital combines the convenience of a community hospital with the technology and expertise of a major university medical center.

The center was designed and constructed with the needs of patients and staff foremost in mind, a hospital official said.

“Our new Same Day Surgery Center at Rush Oak Park Hospital is designed to ease patient flow, streamline surgical care, and enhance the comfort and convenience for patients,” said Jim Kaese of Rush Oak Park Hospital.

“The new space is larger than the previous suite and includes 24 individual patient bays allowing for increased privacy,” Kaese said. “Additionally, each patient bay features a flat-screen television as well as modern and soothing aesthetics. The new design and state-of-the-art equipment also enhance the overall efficiency of the surgical staff and care employees.”

The post Reed Completes Surgery Center appeared first on HCO News.

The post Reed Selected for Chicago Medical Center Project appeared first on HCO News.