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Review of Project Offers Insight

May 20, 2008

A year after Sky Lakes Medical Center completed its remodel, it went through a review last week with the architectural, design and core teams, according to Leslie Flick, vice-president of support services.

"We looked at what did we hit, what did we miss, and did we spend our money wisely? When we began planning in 2002, we planned anticipated outcomes for patients, staff and physicians, benefits relative to efficiency and performance for the community," she said.

Creation of a short-stay unit has been a "godsend," Flick said. The unit is where patients stay for about six hours for procedures.

"We created two specific family waiting areas, one quite and one for families with children. What has happened is less active family use, and more large, extended families who are there to be with end-of-life patients. Just a different use."

Flick spoke about the gardens, lobby, light from larger windows, wood and feel of the patient rooms.

'A healing environment'

"Those things have done so much for families. We wanted to create a healing environment, and we accomplished that," she said. "Neuroscience research shows that exposure to certain colors and elements have a traceable effect on people's brainwaves. The building is nothing more than a tool. It's very technologically advanced by using low-tech elements."

Acoustics are improved, and patients leave their doors open more no, since it's less noisy, and they see and feel more connected to staff and thus, more secure, Flick said.

"We would not have been able to provide good care in the old building much longer," said Tom Hottman, medical center spokesman. "We chose to build at exactly the right time, and we bough steel in advance, before the prices doubled. Construction costs now are three times as much."