With the fifth highest volume of critical trauma admissions in the nation, University of California Davis Medical Center in Sacramento serves as inland northern California's level I trauma center. And now with the recent opening of its new state-of-the-art, 472,000-square-foot Surgery and Emergency Services Pavilion, the hospital can provide top-notch medical care to an even larger population.
“This addition really provides a new front door for the hospital, setting the tone for the entire facility,” says Mike Boyd, executive director of facility services for UC Davis Health Systems, of the biggest construction project in the history of UC Davis Medical Center.
A most welcome upgrade, the ER department is now better equipped to treat its 60,000 annual visitors in a 40,000-square-foot space with a 62% increased bed capacity. Arranged in four pods-three for adults and one for pediatrics-the new ER also features improved patient privacy and two separate waiting rooms: one for adults and the other for children and their families. At the center of each ER pod is a staff work area with stand-up computer stations to better facilitate workflow. In addition, a fully electronic medical records system enables bedside registration, and a special fast-track area has been designated for minor cases.
Operating suites
While the ER has received a lot of attention, Boyd points out, “In terms of scale and importance to the organization, the largest single component of the program, in fact, is the surgical suite.”
