FACILITY SPOTLIGHT

Palm Bay Hospital Expansion Team, left to right: Fran Jastrzembski, Director Emergency Services; Karie Ryan, Director Clinical Nursing; Patrick Domkowski, MD, PhD, President Medical Staff; Judy Gizinski, President; Barbara Pattison, Director Surgical Services; and Jennifer McCarthy, Vice President of Operations.

IMAGINE THE TWISTS and turns that are part and parcel of building a home. Multiply them about 50,000 times and you have an idea of the challenges facing Jennifer McCarthy, vice president of operations at Palm Bay Hospital. McCarthy is part of the hardworking team that helped design the hospital's impressive 127,000-square-foot, $83 million extreme makeover.

"It's been a labor of love for all of us," said McCarthy. "It's like building the biggest dream house."

The new facility transforms the small community hospital into a major health care force, adding 92 private rooms and a state-of-the-art, 12-bed intensive care unit, expanded emergency department and new special procedure rooms. "Our goal was to invest in technology while making the building look lovely," said McCarthy.

From her ground floor office in the hospital's original building, McCarthy and Palm Bay president/CEO Judy Gizinski kept close tabs on progress.  As the June 22 official opening day nears, workmen scurry to add last minute touches, polishing sparkling new tile, installing handsome furniture and adding aesthetic garden and greenway areas.

"The leadership team was very focused on the patients and their families," said Carl Beers, Vice President and Director of Health Care at HKS Architects.  "It was the most focused team I've worked with. They have such a strong vision to serve patients that they made it very easy to design this hospital."

McCarthy and Gizinski credit hospital staff-from doctors to food services personnel-for the success of the facility.  "Physicians and nurses have led the process team," said Gizinski.

"The beauty of this project is the close relationship we have with our medical staff. The president of the medical staff even hosted a party in honor of the expansion to raise community awareness and to encourage charitable contributions," said Gizinski.

Barbara Pattison, the hospital's director of surgical services, explains that input from all staff was highly encouraged at all stages of the design.

"I had the privilege to become the Director of Endoscopy after the blue prints were completed," she said.

"Shortly after taking over, I realized that there was a greater potential for that area.  Our four anesthesiologists are extremely engaged and have always collaborated with me regarding surgical services operations.  With their approval and support, I installed operating room lights and an anesthesia machine in one of the new procedure rooms.  This will allow us to do higher acuity procedures in that area that otherwise may have required the operating room.  With our GI physicians and our anesthesia

providers, we will continue to provide our community with safe, high quality, patient centered care."

According to project manager Bob Boyd, this type of collaboration really paid off.  "The success of this project is due in large part to the efforts of Palm Bay Hospital administration and our associates working closely with our medical staff and community," said Boyd.

Ed and Jeanne André

CLICK HERE FOR RELATED STORY:

Community Philanthropy Supports Palm Bay Hospital Expansion

AS A NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION, Palm Bay Hospital depends on philanthropic support to ensure high quality care for patients. Examples of this strong connection to the community are woven into the new expansion like threads on fine fabric.

Bursting At the Seams
Since 2000, Palm Bay, the most populated city in Brevard has grown over 30 percent to almost 104,000 residents.  With the seventh largest land area of any city in Florida there's plenty of room for expansion and population growth in the future.

For years Palm Bay Hospital has been bursting at the seams. "We operate the second busiest emergency room in the county," said Gizinski. "A vast majority of our admissions come from ER and we didn't have enough inpatient beds. We were holding patients in the ER every day until we could find beds for them. We were frequently at, or over, 110 percent occupancy."

PALM BAY HOSPITAL has the second busiest emergency room in Brevard and has added a 10-bed observation area to the ER, which can be converted into a holding area during peak times.

Those days are over as the hospital flows into its ample new quarters. By adding a 10-bed observation area to ER, the hospital now boasts a specific space that can be converted into a holding area during peak times.

With its new addition, Palm Bay Hospital embraces a hospitality philosophy of patient care that takes into account all aspects of the hospital experience for patients, visitors and staff alike.

An expansive porte cochere greets guests and offers them protection from inclement weather. In the two-story atrium, a floor pattern of geometric designs help the eyes adjust from the harsh sunlight.

"You'll come into the main entrance with the most incredible  cafeteria in any hospital," said McCarthy.

Hospital employees were responsible for many of the café's outstanding services.

Less Stress
The cafeteria includes a hot entrée bar, deli, soup and salad bar, coffee station, brick-hearth pizza and even a large grab-and-go area, where staff can conveniently pick up a gallon of milk and similar staples. "That way they don't even have to stop at the grocery store on their way home," said Gizinski. "We want to do everything we can to make our associates' life less stressful."

An outdoor dining area, perfect getaway during balmy days, reflects the community's commitment to the expansion. The area was funded from proceeds from the 2007 Palm Bay Mayor's Ball.

The chapel was also a gift. "The team desperately wanted it, because the spiritual aspect of healing is very important, and when you're in a hospital you want to connect with God," said Gizinski.  "When we didn't have the money for the chapel, Carl Beers with HKS Architectural Firm offered to design it as a gift to the team."

Adjacent to the chapel, visitors can engage in restful contemplation in the Zen garden created in honor of retired administrator Gail Schuneman. "She was so excited to have a garden," said Gizinski.

Next to the café, a large gift shop replaces the cramped and busy little store tucked in one of the hospital's old hallways. The new shop will carry everything from medical equipment to scrubs, as well as last-minute gifts and personal products.

As for the inpatient floors, creating a restful atmosphere conducive to healing was foremost for the team. To that end, the hospital decentralized that traditional-and often noisy-hub of activity, the nurses' station. Small sub-stations scattered throughout the floors allow nurses to monitor their assigned rooms, keeping noise at a minimum.

Once in a Lifetime
"The expansion project has been a great experience, one that many nursing leaders only have once in their careers," said Karie Ryan, Director of Nursing at the South Brevard hospital.

"I enjoyed working with staff and the physicians to design nursing units where the focus is on providing a comfortable, safe and healing environment for our patients and visitors, while also providing a well-designed environment for the medical and nursing staff to deliver care."

Hospitals are moving towards the privacy of large single rooms, a trend reflected in the 92 new well-appointed rooms with large windows at patients' eye level. "Natural light is so healing," said Gizinski. "The team had a great concept that incorporated natural light."

For many families, being with their loved ones around the clock is a priority. Comfortable love seats turn into overnight beds for visitors.

"Loved ones will have the ability to stay in the patient's room for as long as they want," said McCarthy. "We searched high and low for the right sleeper sofas."

THE 12-BED ICU is furnished with the latest technology and VitalWatch, Central Florida’s only eICU program. From a core remote location, critical care physicians and nurses monitor and provide an added layer for patient care 24/7 via secured two-way audio/visual system.

The same hospitality philosophy holds true for the ICU. "We encourage loved ones to feel part of the care-giving process, so we want to make them comfortable all the time they're here," said Gizinski. "We wanted to make it easy for you to be with your ICU patient 24 hours a day."

The columns that traditionally house ICU equipment have been replaced with pneumatic booms that move from side to side, better accommodating patients and caregivers and creating a safer, less cluttered environment.

The 12-bed ICU is furnished with the latest technology and VitalWatch, Central Florida's only eICU program. From a core remote location, critical care physicians and nurses monitor and provide an added layer for patient care 24/7 via secured two-way audio/visual system.

From her office, Gizinski has watched the dream hospital become reality. "We'll come in under the budget and ahead of schedule," said Gizinski. "We've got the best of both worlds."

Related posts:

1. Palm Bay Hospital Dedicates Rachael M. Anderson Chapel
2. Community Philanthropy Supports Palm Bay Hospital Expansion
3. The House That Schuneman Built
4. Holmes Regional, Palm Bay Hospital Receive National Recognition
5. HRMC, PBH Selected Among HealthGrades’ Best Hospitals