Being part of a 53 year old hospital, with, perhaps, one of the best reputations for patient care, Ben Taub in one of only two Level 1 Trauma Centers in Houston. The Emergency Center requires renovation in order to create efficient flows both within the department and with the rest of the hospital. The major goal, as well as challenge, was to take the existing infrastructure into consideration while transforming the current inefficient design into a space that increases efficiency and throughput within the EC to help support the new ORs and the new supporting Surgical Suite, while minimizing the phases required in order to keep the EC operational at all times.
Some of the design concepts used to reach this efficiency potential include better patient access and visibility to the staff, improve patient and staff experience, designated separate patient and staff flows, and an increase in versatile treatment rooms for future needs. Through this exercise and work sessions with Harris Health, our team was able to design a conceptual plan and renderings for the assistance in fund raising. The new design creates a professional, yet warm, environment to improve the overall community perception of this facility. With the additional treatment spaces, the addition of a Clinical Decision Unit, incorporated Radiology Unit, and the expansion of the Psychiatric EC, Ben Taub’s Level 1 Trauma Emergency Center has a new face for the community and a welcoming and comforting environment ensuring more lives saved.