Private patient rooms, enhanced technology improve care
Newport News, Va. – A commitment to the highest level of patient care has taken shape over the past two years at Riverside Regional Medical Center with a 150,000 square-foot expansion at the Pavilion.
The $75 million expansion transforms Riverside into a fully private room hospital, with each of its 144 rooms featuring windows that allow for natural light to aid in the healing process. Key to the growth is a continuation of Riverside’s system-wide technology investment, which creates a lifeline between patient and provider and helps support the medical team as they deliver state-of-the-art compassionate care. The expansion is scheduled to open for patient care starting September 11th, 2018.
“This expansion is a continuation of our commitment to care for our patients as we would those we love,” said Riverside Administrator Mike Doucette. “Our aim is to give our medical team the tools they need to help patients heal more quickly. All the features of the Pavilion expansion – from the constant wireless monitoring of patient vitals to additional beds in intensive care units to the artwork on the walls – are to support the healing process.”
Both the Medical Intensive Care Unit and Cardiac Care Unit will have four additional beds, for a total of 18 on each unit. Multiple ceiling-mounted patient lifts there will make for smooth transitions in and out of beds. New technology includes Hill-Rom specialized patient beds that “talk” to staff via wireless phones and alert them instantly to any issues. These beds can also weigh patients, adjust to a chair setting and alert staff when a patient gets up. A visual alert system outside patient rooms allow staff to see quickly where help is needed and, when staff enters the room, technology senses the response and cancels the call. That helps staff get right to work addressing the patient’s needs.
Wireless monitoring will track patients whether they are in their rooms, on the way to or from a procedure like imaging or dialysis, or making a trip to the bathroom. The same wireless technology also allows real-time tracking of staff and supplies.
In-room computers aid in immediate charting to track a patient’s treatment, which frees up staff from paperwork to attend to patient needs.
“Our nurses, clinicians and support staff were involved in the design of our expansion. Their input was instrumental to providing our patients with the best care possible. The Pavilion has many features that support our patients and our team members. It is a real benefit to our patients when all levels of staff have a more efficient way to locate the resources they need to deliver safe, efficient, quality care,” said Riverside’s Chief Nursing Officer and COO Candi Carroll. “These tools are the peRiverside Foundationect complement to our patient care mission.”
For staff those who are visiting loved ones at the Pavilion, there’s now a quiet space for respite. The Sanctuary, created with support from the Peninsula Make a Difference Committee in partnership with Riverside’s Foundation and funded through generous community contributions, is located on the first floor behind the pharmacy.
The expansion brings the Pavilion to 400,000 square feet.