TRO JB has been a presence on the campus of Morton Plant Mease Healthcare since 1990. In addition to a master plan completed in 1993 and updated in 1999, one of the firm’s most significant projects is the emergency department addition. The programming and design process involved collaborating with large multi-disciplinary user and physicianadvisory groups, as well as making site visits to four emergency rooms located in the Southeast. The groups identified examples of excellent emergency care, and selected amenities that enhanced patient/family privacy and elevated the hospital’s image within the community. The emergency room addition has 43 patient treatment stations allocated in four principal groupings: fast track, intermediate, acute/critical, and psychiatric.

 

The central nurse station has unobstructed views of all rooms and maximizes staffing efficiency with two zones, acute and intermediate. A striking red canopy and tower serve as a beacon announcing the emergency room’s location on campus. Three canopies of varied height define key spaces and identify service levels within the facility. These carefully planned design elements provide efficient wayfinding for arriving patients, while establishing the emergency department’s prominence on campus. Renovation and expansion of the emergency department, which accommodates approximately 63,000 visits per year, proceeded in phases to ensure all hospital functions remained operable during construction.

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