John Muir Health opens The Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower

Today, John Muir Health opened the doors of The Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower at John Muir Medical Center, Concord, which includes 120 new private rooms (61 open with 59 shelled for future use), a new Cardiovascular Institute and a new Emergency Department. The 172,000 square foot facility, which took three years and $212 million to complete, also features state-of-the-art technology and a patient-focused, healing environment.

"We are making a substantial investment in our medical center and the community as part of our continuing commitment to provide the best possible care and experience for patients and their families," said Mike Thomas, president and CAO, John Muir Medical Center, Concord. "Providing quality health care delivered by skilled physicians, nurses and staff with the latest technology allows people to stay closer to home for their care."

The Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower is part of John Muir Health's $800 million investment in new hospital facilities in Concord and Walnut Creek. With the Tom & Billie Long Patient Care Tower in Walnut Creek opening in spring 2011, John Muir Health's building projects are opening well before the state's January 1, 2013 seismic compliance deadline. Both new towers are built to the state's strictest seismic standards to be fully operational after a major earthquake.

The Hofmann Family Patient Care Tower includes:

The new Cardiovascular Institute concentrates the majority of John Muir Health's cardiovascular services in one location to provide comprehensive, fully integrated patient care. It includes:

• Five cardiac catheterization labs
• 12 preoperative and recovery beds
• 4 preoperative and recovery lounge chairs
• 12-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit
• 49 telemetry-monitored private rooms

"We are bringing together highly-trained cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiac and vascular surgeons, interventional radiologists, nurses and technical staff to provide the best possible care for our cardiovascular patients," said cardiologist Howard Min, M.D. "The centralization of resources in Concord allows us to share best practices, collaborate on cases and provide care more efficiently and effectively."

The newly expanded Emergency Department nearly triples the size of the old emergency department and significantly improves the patient experience. The old emergency department was built to serve 25,000 patient visits a year, but in 2009, received more than 46,000 patient visits. The new emergency department features 32 private treatment rooms, as well as a medical imaging suite with a state-of-the-art CT scanner, digital X-ray machine and ultrasound devices to aid in patient diagnosis and care.

"We are the front door to the medical center and will now be able to serve more patients and completely change the way patients experience their emergency room visits," said David Birdsall, M.D., emergency department physician and chief of staff, John Muir Medical Center, Concord. "We will provide a quieter environment, private rooms, fully electronic patient tracking and documentation for enhanced patient safety and a more patient-friendly environment."

The proximity of the Cardiovascular Institute to the Emergency Department in the new tower also allows for the rapid treatment of patients experiencing severe heart attacks. The time it takes before a heart attack patient receives often lifesaving balloon angioplasty or coronary intervention is commonly known as "door-to-balloon" time. While the American Heart Association's treatment guidelines recommend a "door-to-balloon" time of no more than 90 minutes, John Muir Medical Center, Concord averages less than 50 minutes. The goal is now to lower that average time even more.

The private rooms in the new tower feature dedicated zones for patients, family members and staff to increase patient and visitor comfort, as well as outdoor views and maximum natural light to aid in the healing process. Emerging neuroscience research demonstrates that building environments can impact health and well being in significant ways. To create a non-institutional environment for patients, the hospital features various colors, textures and ceiling heights, as well as art pieces and a beautiful outdoor courtyard, to instill calm and comfort and stimulate relaxation, which promotes healing. Careful attention has also been paid to smaller details, such as indirect ceiling lighting to reduce glare for patients being transported on beds through hallways.

The new building also includes a co-generation plant that produces almost a megawatt of electricity with natural gas engines. The waste heat is used to produce steam to run a 300 ton absorption chiller. This process is very energy efficient, reduces carbon emissions and saves on energy costs.

"As the health care needs of our growing and diverse community change, John Muir Health will be well positioned to accommodate the evolution in patient care and technology and respond to increasing capacity demands," said Thomas. "We have been part of the community for 80 years. This new addition allows us to care for patients for generations to come."