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Westchester Medical
eHealth Center
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Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth) recently unveiled its new, technology-driven eHealth program on its Valhalla campus. This initiative, the first of its kind in the area, is expected to vastly improve patient outcomes on the Valhalla campus and throughout the Hudson Valley.
At the heart of this system is the network's 5,500-square-foot operations center. Posen Architects collaborated with the Strategic Design Group of Philips Healthcare on this innovative design. Using the eHealth Center's state-of-the-art technology, expertly-trained medical staff will accurately monitor all patients in 98 Intensive Care Unit beds from this location.
The central operations room features 20 multimedia stations equipped with the latest monitoring technologies and software. Patients' vital signs, bloodwork, imaging and medications can all be supervised from these multimedia stations. In addition, two-way audio and video allows the remote specialists to speak directly to patients, family, bedside physicians and nurses.
In addition to the COR, the center contains support spaces for this facility to run 24/7 - staff offices, conference space, a staff lounge, and consult/training rooms. The technology-driven space's use is reflected in the material palette - soft whites, cool neutrals, and silver accents are used throughout the center. Light wood tones bring warmth to the space and a bright blue accent color both energizes and represents the WMCHealth brand.
eHealth is a growing trend. According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, use of eHealth in Intensive Care Units, known as eICUs, has been shown to decrease mortality by 20 percent and reduce the length of hospital stay by 26 percent.
WMC is joining a select list of progressive organizations as more than 50 health systems and 400 hospitals nationwide are operating eHealth programs with great success. Posen Architects is proud to have been involved in this project and is currently working with Phillips Healthcare on other projects for WMCHealth at Valhalla and MidHudson Regional Hospital in Poughkeepsie.
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Bill Hamilton, AIA has been with Posen Architects for almost 12 years and specializes in healthcare and code compliance. |
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Fire Door Assemblies
As boring as it sounds there is good reason to pay attention to Fire Door Assemblies, especially to those who manage hospital and outpatient healthcare facilities. I recently attended a seminar, presented by a lecturer who teaches CMS inspectors, and he is confident that the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code 2012 will be adopted by mid-year 2016. This would bring a newer NFPA 80 Fire Door Assemblies edition into effect. The biggest change: facilities managers of healthcare facilities will be required to perform, log and maintain yearly records of each fire door assembly in the building; new and existing. Any interim maintenance to a door must also be recorded. They must also be included in the yearly CMS certification inspections.
There are 13 items which must be indicated in the logs:
- Labels are clearly visible and readable
- No open holes or breaks in either the door or door frame
- All glazing is intact and securely fastened
- The door, frame, hinges, and all other hardware are secured and in working order
- No parts are missing or broken (i.e. missing screws)
- Door clearances do not exceed clearances listed in 4.8.4 or 6.3.1.7
- The self closing device is operational and that the door completely closes from an open position
- For a pair of doors, the coordinator properly closes the inactive leaf before the active leaf
- Latching hardware engages and secures the door when in a closed position
- Auxiliary hardware which is not rated for fire door assemblies are not installed on the door or frame (card readers and swipes are the biggest culprits)
- No field modifications to the door assembly have been performed
- Edge protection, gasketing etc. are rated for fire door assemblies, are verified and are undamaged
- Any signage attached to the door must meet the requirements listed in 4.1.4
To Facility Managers in Healthcare,
Make sure you have an up to date Life Safety Plan. Only doors located in fire rated partitions and walls are applicable and the inspectors will use your life safety plan as the guide to locate them during inspection. If your fire safety plans need upgrading your architect can produce them. Additionally, for any new construction, make sure your architect is familiar with the requirements for fire door assemblies. Having them specified properly in the beginning will save headaches in the future.
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Jen has been with Posen since July 2015, shortly after her Cum Laude graduation from NJIT. She holds a Bachelor of Architecture degree with a minor in Environmental Studies. |
Jennifer Doan, Associate AIA
What is your role here at Posen?
This is my first full time job, so I help out with whatever I can, whether they're details, drawings, or researching products. Right now I am doing working drawings in Revit for a new building in the Bronx.
What is the most challenging part of your job?
Understanding to ask the right questions, because I think a good answer is only as a good as a good question.
What have you learned in the first six months at Posen Architects?
I've learned a lot so far. Some are Revit skills, which are useful as it's becoming the industry standard and a software that was out of my comfort zone. I've also learned more about construction, codes and how to talk to clients and vendors. I just hope to keep growing.
What is your favorite part about the office?
Aside from the friendly staff, I really appreciate how well organized this office is and its underlying goal of being efficient and working smart, especially in a field where there are constant deadlines, changes, and late nights. I don't know many firms that are as neat.
If you could be anyone from any time period who would it be and why?
My dad, he's one of my role models. He's very wise, quite the problem solver, has a strong mentality, optimistic, open minded enough to accept changes, and my best critic.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Traveling, adventuring, being a foodie, listening to music, analyzing people, exercising, some reading, and just trying to experience everything.
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REVIT ready
Posen Architects is a fully integrated Revit office. Using Revit, Building Information Modeling (BIM) software we can better plan, coordinate, and design between multiple disciplines, and catch conflicts early in the design stage. Revit can be used for any project size, from smaller projects, such as a renovation for Westchester Medical Center's new eHealth Center, to out-of-the ground construction at White Plains Hospital's new Dickstein Cancer Center expansion. Posen Architects is excited to use the software as a tool to further enhance and innovate design.
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Posen Architects, LLC
25 Columbia Street
West Orange, NJ 07052
222 Mamaroneck Avenue
White Plains, NY 10605
www.posen.com
Phone: (973) 325-3250
Fax: (973) 325-3251
Email: [email protected]
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