Investing in Quality & Safety at Lancaster General Hospital

We’re making way for the latest tools and innovations—increasingly intertwined with quality care—as part of ongoing investments at Lancaster General Hospital.

In 2017, scaffolding will give way to reveal the new Frederick Building’s eight-story-tall exterior.

Inside, we’re creating spaces that will put patient comfort and safety first, from an advanced nurse call system, to an interactive patient education system that enables patients to better understand their treatment.

Throughout 2016, multidisciplinary teams have been working to design the optimal patient-centered environment. Using a series of simulations, our bedside providers helped to identify opportunities to improve patient experience and improve how care is delivered.

Six new floors will eventually provide room for private inpatient rooms. Private rooms reduce infection risk and facilitate efficient care and sensitive conversations, which can enhance patient satisfaction.

In each room, technology and smart design will combine to engage patients in their own care. Rooms will better accommodate visitors and equipment like power lifts, while our staff will benefit from clinical upgrades and ergonomic considerations.

As pictured above, our Department of Nursing invited representatives from our specialty units, biomedical services, pharmacy, epidemiology department, environmental services and others to contribute to the design process. Guest services and a consumer advisory panel also weighed in.

The process has been guided by value-driven LEAN design, innovation and patient experience.

During extensive mock simulations, designers and architects and project management staff looked for patterns—such as access to supplies and equipment—that could be tweaked to incorporate even more efficiency.

The resulting units will be spacious enough to provide separate zones for patients, healthcare providers and family members. A larger footprint will meet power and regulatory requirements and make rooms more functional, with space for staff discussions, clean and soiled utilities, equipment storage and carts.

These patient rooms are meant for patients and their families, part of a model of family-centered care that LG Health has embraced. Larger rooms make it easier and more convenient to have visitors and provide space for overnight guests.

Enhanced safety is another major design consideration, with clear paths from bed to bathroom and handwashing sinks near the entrance. Patients will also have greater control over temperature, lighting and window blinds—all the small touches that make a hospital stay more comfortable.

The $63.7 million Frederick Building project at Lancaster General Hospital is expected to open in spring 2018.