Enhancing the Patient Experience

In April, Lancaster General Hospital welcomed patients to the new Frederick Building, which sits at the corner of Lime and Frederick streets in downtown Lancaster. With 97 private inpatient rooms, this $67.3 million investment delivers the future of inpatient hospital care. Private rooms are now the standard for hospitals across the country. Research indicates that this design helps to reduce infection; increase efficiencies for nurses and other care providers; improve patient and family privacy; and reduce noise and in-and-out traffic in patient rooms.

The Frederick Building also offers a range of technological advances that enhances the experience of care for patients, physicians, nurses and other providers. New technologies strengthen communication among caregivers and provide real-time updates on patient conditions and needs. A new notification system improves patients’ ability to contact staff with their specific need, increasing staff’s ability to respond appropriately. Bedside tablets enable patients to access a wide range of educational and entertainment options, including online and streaming services.

Additional investments at LGH also included a new Energy Center, which significantly upgraded the hospital’s energy systems. The Energy Center modernized heating, cooling and electrical supply systems for the hospital, increasing our energy efficiency and ensuring continuous operation during outages.

With the Frederick Building now open, Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health is upgrading technology and equipment in older patient areas and transitioning to all-private inpatient rooms throughout the hospital. We expect this transition to be complete in 2019.