 Columbia, MD - Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine celebrated the opening of its new four-story Patient Pavilion earlier this month. With three new 30-bed inpatient units, a large centralized outpatient center and expanded spaces for support services, the facility was designed to meet the needs of a growing and aging community.
“The Campus Development Plan construction/renovation project is a much-needed addition to the hospital and our community,” said Victor A. Broccolino, president and CEO. “Building a new pavilion, reconfiguring parking and renovating the existing building – all while continuing our day-to-day operations has been a monumental task and we appreciate the patience and support of our patients, visitors, employees, physicians and community as this project has progressed. We are very pleased to finally make these services available to the community.”
Evidence-based Design
Patient safety and improved quality of care were the driving forces behind the design of the new inpatient units. The new concept of evidence-based  hospital design guided the project, with special attention placed on reducing infections, patient falls and medication errors. To prevent falls, the furniture in each room is arranged so patients have a direct line of access to the bath, with handrails guiding the way and showers without stalls in the bathroom. Work alcoves located between every two rooms allow nurses to complete records while monitoring their patients. A patient’s medication is also conveniently stored in his alcove, providing easy access for the care giver and preventing medication errors.
In an effort to promote comfort and healing, patient rooms feature large windows to let in natural light, soothing colors, and ample room for families and visitors. Family involvement in the patient’s care is encouraged and each room has a sleep sofa should family members want to stay overnight.
Centralized Outpatient Center
 The Bolduc Family Outpatient Center, located on the first level of the pavilion, will be the first facility to welcome patients. On July 6, cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation as well as physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech language pathology and the diabetes management program will begin operating on the pavilion’s first floor in large, bright spaces. The cardiopulmonary rehabilitation area features state-of-the-art gym facilities which include a walking track and television and sound system for patients to enjoy while they exercise. Other rehabilitation services include separate gyms  for adults, children and infants, along with separate adult and child waiting areas. The Diabetes Management Program features three counseling rooms. Bringing it all together is the main reception area of the outpatient center, which will house centralized scheduling, admission and waiting areas for all outpatient services.
Bed Count Increasing in Phases
When inpatients move from rooms in the existing facility into the second, third and fourth floors of the pavilion on August 3, the hospital will increase its bed count by 18 until renovation of existing medical/surgical units are complete. All of the new rooms are private and the existing rooms are being converted to private during renovation. When the entire project is complete in fall 2011, all medical/surgical patient rooms will be private, with a total increase of 43 beds.
Dedicated Critical Care Floor
When renovations are complete in spring 2010, the third floor will contain a series of three units focused on caring for the most critically ill patients. In this single-floor continuum of care model, critically ill patients will move through the units as their care needs change during recovery. The most critically ill patients will be cared for in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), while more stable critical patients can be admitted to the Progressive Care Unit (PCU), and less critically ill patients will receive care on the Intermediate Care Unit (IMC). The PCU was built with a grant from the State of Maryland.
Support Services and Infrastructure
The ground floor of the new pavilion will be home to important support services, including Information Technology, Pharmacy and  Telecommunications. Each area features state-of-the-art equipment designed to support patient safety initiatives and programs.
Significant infrastructure additions and modifications have replaced outdated equipment and/or added equipment sufficient for the needs of the new building as well as current and future needs of the hospital as a whole. Areas affected include the HVAC system, medical gas system and generator plant.
Howard County General Hospital: A Member of Johns Hopkins Medicine since 1998 is a 227-bed, not-for-profit, health care provider located in Columbia, Maryland. Serving the community since 1973, the hospital, with a professional staff of over 800 physicians and allied health professionals, representing more than 70 specialties and subspecialties, and a workforce of more than 1,700, has grown into a comprehensive, acute-care medical center that offers a full range of services, from neonatal care and oncology to outpatient treatment and critical care.
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