Delicate Operation at a Hospital
Building a hospital surgical unit in the middle of a functioning hospital tower is every bit as challenging as it sounds. Helmkamp recently met that challenge at Gateway Regional Medical Center’s Endoscopy/PACU facility designed by Trivers Associates. The Endoscopy/PACU unit was a finalist in the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis’ Keystone Awards.
Project Background
Community Health Systems, owner of Gateway Regional Medical Center in Granite City, IL, wanted to relocate their Endoscopy/Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) in order to improve patient care and update equipment. Helmkamp Construction Company was selected as the general contractor on the project.
The new Endoscopy/PACU was to be located on the second floor of an active, six-story patient tower. A surgical suite was immediately adjacent to the construction site while the maternity unit was located above it and radiology was located below it. All needed to stay in continuous operation throughout the construction.
Because the Endoscopy/PACU was being built in an aging building and because it represented a substantive improvement in finish standards for Gateway, existing conditions had to be addressed in order to obtain the desired end result.
Complexity of Construction
Due the building’s configuration, surgical patient transport and employee access had to cross through the construction site without compromising safety or hospital infection control. To allow access to an adjacent surgery suite, a one-hour fire-rated tunnel was constructed, bisecting the work zone, to accommodate patients and staff. This tunnel, while necessary, significantly increased coordination and communication issues.
In addition, floor and ceiling penetrations for the new unit had to be accomplished without compromising patient units on the floors immediately above and below the Endoscopy/PACU. These units housed radiology on the floor below and maternity above. Radiology presented a unique set of challenges in coordinating with the MEP subcontractor.
Solutions to Special Challenges
To minimize noise, dust, conflict, and infection risks involved in moving materials in and debris out of an active patient tower, Helmkamp’s superintendent proactively designed a temporary walkway and staging area on the roof of an adjacent one-story building, removing a window to create access to the work area. The hospital safety officer noted that Helmkamp’s personnel had addressed all safety issues related to the construction of the walkway and staging area and had eliminated potential risks to the hospital’s patients and staff. The roof was also used for pumping concrete to the site.
The tower had to be evacuated during the setting of a new rooftop HVAC unit and shutdown of med gases for the operating rooms had to be coordinated twice during the project.
A water leak from an upper floor into a radius drywall soffit after the project was complete. Drywall was quickly replaced, allowing the unit to hold a grand opening event.
On the punch list inspection the architect from Trivers Associates noted that “This is the best quality construction I have seen in a very long time.” The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) commission inspection for the completed unit took only twenty minutes.
In a letter of endorsement for the Keystone submission Damon Brown, CEO of Gateway wrote: “Throughout the project Helmkamp provided quality communication, in-depth understanding and knowledge of the healthcare construction project. Helmkamp assisted with special precautions for infection control and were highly sensitive to our staff, patients and visitors needs.”
