Hackensack University Medical Center puts the ‘Complex’ in Hospital Complex

Most hospital projects are complicated. But the design and construction of Hackensack University Medical Center’s (HUMC’s) Helena Theurer Pavilion presented some extreme challenges. Connections spoke with Erik Polyzou, project manager at RSC Architects, and Syska associate partner Thomas Ford to learn more.

Background

In 2020, HUMC received a $25-million donation from benefactor Helena Theurer to advance cancer research and transform patient care, enabling the construction of a new pavilion on the campus. The structure, which was completed in December of 2022, contains nine-stories, 530,000 square feet, 24 operating rooms, 72 private pre/PACU rooms, 50 ICU rooms, 25 universal rooms, and 150 medical-surgical rooms. It is situated above a small, urban site that spans a busy street and connects to a trauma center on four floors.

“We had to effectively build over buildings on a main street while linking the new facility to the existing one. As you might imagine, the level of coordination required for the project team members was enormous.”

Approach

“We had to effectively build over buildings on a main street while linking the new facility to the existing one,” says Erik. “As you might imagine, the level of coordination required for the project team members was enormous.” Along with Syska, other team members included Page and a joint venture of W.M. Blanchard and Turner Construction.

The results are striking, with 20-foot trusses spanning the street and a column reaching 90 feet. “The pavilion creates a welcoming environment that is aesthetically pleasing, but it’s also providing a strong foundation for the surgical platform and patient tower,” Erik notes. “That’s not an easy balance to attain.”

A secondary challenge was to ensure that the building could operate independently from other areas of the hospital. “That meant we had to combine many different functions into a single building,” says Thomas, who explains that the pavilion houses a central sterile unit and laboratories along with the surgical platform and patient floors. In most hospitals, these functions are typically spread throughout several buildings. To equip the pavilion with “standalone” capabilities, the team had to take extra steps to support redundancy and resiliency.

“Our objective was to make this the smartest building we possibly could. These are fantastic amenities for patients and staff. But they add to the load and connectivity requirements.”

Technology presented a third challenge. “Our objective was to make this the smartest building we possibly could,” says Erik. In keeping with this objective, each patient room features a 65-inch TV monitor with a built-in camera that is operated by a tablet by the patient’s bed. Patients can use the system for entertainment or for connecting with family and friends through video calls, to order meals, and to control lighting, temperature, and window shades. The systems also help medical staff, who can conduct virtual rounds via the screens. “These are fantastic amenities for patients and staff,” says Thomas. “But they add to the load and connectivity requirements.”

To attain the perfect blend of form, function, and patient experience, the project team members started collaborating early -- during the planning phase. “The design and engineering were completely interdependent,” Thomas remarks. “We recognized that each stage of the project had to be carefully thought out in partnership. Fortunately, we’ve all worked together before and we know how to communicate effectively and efficiently with each other.”

Such early collaboration turned out to be invaluable because the Covid pandemic hit just as steel was being erected, and the team had to quickly change course. In the short term, this “pivot” entailed an immediate expansion of capacity in the existing hospital, including the conversion of a cafeteria into a Covid unit. In the long term, it entailed some major design changes to address future crises. (The Covid crisis the team faced is the subject of a separate article, which is slated for publication in Health Facilities Management in 2024.)

“Our community depends on us, and we want members of the communities we serve to know that we have the technology and expertise to provide the most advanced, compassionate care they need in a comfortable environment, when they need it most.”

Response from Stakeholders

Patients, staff, and hospital administrators all love the pavilion. Upon completion, Mark Sparta, president and chief hospital executive of HUMC said: “Our community depends on us, and we want members of the communities we serve to know that we have the technology and expertise to provide the most advanced, compassionate care they need in a comfortable environment, when they need it most.”

Howard Ross, M.D., surgeon-in-chief at HUMC, was equally enthusiastic. He stated that the pavilion “is unmatched in terms of design, technology and patient experience — and from the operating rooms to the patient rooms to the family and visitor areas, it’s an environment that promotes leading-edge care, healing and well-being.”

Click here to see a short video about the pavilion.