Butterflies filled the air as members of the community celebrated the grand opening of the new patient tower at Florida Hospital Celebration Health. Those in attendance not only took part in the butterfly release, but were a part of the first public tour of the 234,000 sq foot, 62 bed addition to the hospital. This expansion brings Florida Hospital Celebration Health to a 174 bed facility.
The new patient tower allows Florida Hospital Celebration Health to provide care for the growing population of Osceola County. The expansion of the emergency department, additional beds and staff will allow for the growing healthcare needs of this community whose population has increased by more than 50 percent over the past decade. The advanced patient experience technology in the new patient tower, the Global Robotics Institute and the Nicholson Center make Florida Hospital Celebration Health a growing destination for national and international patients willing to travel to receive the very best in health care.
“While it is important for us to meet the needs of the community by adding space to our facility, in true Celebration Health style, this tower goes far beyond what you would expect to see inside a hospital,” said Dr. Monica Reed, Administrator of Florida Hospital Celebration Health. “Getting each patient involved in their care and providing a positive experience while in the hospital was all part of the research and design process.”
Something as simple as turning on the light is designed to improve the patient experience at Florida Hospital Celebration Health. When a caregiver walks into the room, a light coming on over the sink serves as a simple reminder to wash their hands. A directional light near the bedside allows the nurse enough light to make notes or take vital signs without disturbing a resting patient. In addition, patients have the opportunity to choose how brightly their room is illuminated with morning, evening and rest settings.
These lighting options are just part of what will be studied on the 3rd floor of the new tower as part of the Interactive Patient Care Unit, the first of its kind in the nation. In connection with the Institute for Interactive Patient Care, everything from new patient safety technology to changing ways to communicate with patients about their care could be studied as part of the unit. The goal is to conduct research on the best practices of patient and family engagement and share those results with other health care institutions for their adoption.
“In health care, we strive to give patients the best outcome possible,” said Dr. Stephen Knych, Chief Patient Safety Officer at Florida Hospital Celebration Health. “More research is showing that when you really involve patients and their families in their care and increase the positive experience they have at the hospital, their health improves. We are dedicating these patient rooms to study how we can increase the involvement of patients and families in their health care and ultimately increase healing.”
Emergency care is also a major focus of the new patient tower with 30 additional emergency room beds that are designed to allow for increased patient privacy. A front-stage, back-stage concept allows families access to their loved ones from one side of the room while caregivers are stationed in a central location to have easy access to all the patients and rooms from the opposite side.
