Is the new Emergency Treatment Center off to a good start?

We're off to a great start. It's been absolutely wonderful for our staff and for our patients. It modernizes the facility and enhances our ability to provide family-centered care. It has also helped patients and families access the ETC more easily.

How did you address your space needs?

We more than doubled our size to meet patient demand and improved areas for clinical care and teaching. We also have designated space for laboratory and radiology services, and a home for UI's emergency medicine residency program, which is critical because of the state's shortage of emergency physicians.

What were some of the project's key goals?

Patient comfort was our top priority. But staff comfort was important, too. When staff lack space to document, check results, and discuss cases with consultants, patient care can be compromised. Our old ETC just wasn't large enough for staff to meet the growing demand. It was designed for 20,000 patient visits per year; last year we treated 40,000.

What design features were used to promote patient-centeredness?

We used 'Lean' concepts [Lean Production originated in the manufacturing sector as a systematic way for doing more with less ] and computer simulations to ensure the most efficient flow for patients and staff. We wanted each patient to have a personalizing, humanizing, and private experience. We now have large, quiet, non-threatening patient care areas for family involvement and patient confidentiality. Also, separate areas were designed for pediatric patients, trauma eye injuries, and chest pain patients. For security purposes, we have tracking devices, entrance and exit controls, and sophisticated security cameras. These are terrific improvements.