University of Iowa Children’s Hospital Updates Design

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The new University of Iowa (UI) Children’s Hospital will welcome visitors with a brightly colored, playful environment to benefit young patients and their families.

The hospital unveiled a newly updated design for the $292 million facility, which broke ground in June 2013, at an open house Monday. Officials have placed special emphasis on patient and family involvement in the design due to the hospital’s strong philosophy on patient- and family-centered care. Visitors to the open house viewed the latest renderings, interactive displays and interior design elements.

New features include a movie theater and playground that will add to the list of kid-friendly amenities at the hospital aimed at preventing children from becoming bored during the healing process.

“Children’s health care is becoming increasingly specialized. We want to continue meeting the needs of children throughout Iowa, in conjunction with community pediatricians, family practitioners and other providers. This partnership between community-based providers and UI Children’s Hospital is a major factor in Iowa’s ranking as the top state in the nation from a child health perspective,” said Dr. Thomas Scholz, interim director of the division of pediatric hematology and oncology, in a statement.

The 134 private patient rooms at the 480,000-square-foot children’s hospital will include state-of-the-art technology for programs that will range from promoting wellness to the care of general childhood illness, surgery, traumatic injuries chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities. The building will also feature pediatric imaging, pharmacy, pediatric surgery, cancer care, a pediatric intensive care unit, neonatal intensive care unit, acute care and shelled space to be made available for future expansions. Each room was designed specifically for young patients with space for homework and ample room for family visitation.

“Building the new University of Iowa Children’s Hospital is a critical step in advancing the strategic master facilities plan that will meet the health care needs of our patients and families in the 21st century,” said Jean Robillard, UI vice president for medical affairs, in a statement. “We must be able to accommodate the projected growth in the number of patients, surgeries, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and imaging and laboratory analyses, as well as meeting increased space requirements for teaching and clinical research.”

The 14-story hospital, which has 12 floors above ground and two floors below ground, will consolidate the children’s hospital services that are currently housed in a variety of buildings on the medical campus. In the 2013 fiscal year, the hospital treated 57,872 patients, and officials are expecting this number to grow. Administrators believe the centralized facility will significantly improve operations.

With more than 40 pediatric specialties, the UI Children’s Hospital will employ more than 170 pediatric physicians and surgeons, as well as 500 specially trained pediatric nurses.

Heery International’s Iowa City office is the architect of record for the project and Stanley Beaman & Sears, based in Atlanta, is the architect. Gilbane Building Co., with offices in Chicago, is the project contractor. The project, which is funded completely by revenue bonds, hospital funds and donations, is aiming for a 2016 completion date.