I know I have said this before, but we are so incredibly blessed to live in a town with such a great Children’s Hospital. I was invited to tour the Children’s Hospital Liberty Branch Campus Expansion. I jumped at the chance as this is the branch of Children’s we go to now that we are living in Loveland. When we lived closer to the city, I would go to the Main Clifton Location, which I loved. However, since we moved to Loveland, we have visited the Children’s Liberty ER three times already! I have been impressed with all three experiences there.
A little bit about the Liberty Campus:
The Liberty Campus opened in August 2008 and has seen more than a million patient encounters over the last 7 years, most of which have been through outpatient care. This location serves nearly 200,00 patients annually. More than 50 pediatric medical and surgical specialty clinics and services are available here, including after hours urgent care and a 24-hour emergency department.
About the Expansion:
This expansion brings more than 210 additional full-time employees. The expansion of the existing building adds a little over 70,000 new square feet for a total of 302,000 square feet in this building. The Proton Center building is nearly 90,000 square feet.
Proton Center construction is coming along 🙂
Waiting areas (including one with gaming for kids)
How cool is this gaming area in the waiting room?!
Registration area where families will check in and be admitted when their own physician has referred them here for an inpatient stay.
Visitor management system – a Protective Service officer will be available here 24/7 to assist visitors entering the inpatient unit
Interior design theme
Each floor has a theme: first floor is earth, second floor is water, third floor is sky, and the New fourth floor is the Universe.
All the artwork reflects the interior design theme of space/Universe. It is created by professional artists and Independence Elementary students, grades 1-6, in collaboration between Cincinnati Children’s, Kolar Design and the ArtWorks organization. Independence Elementary is part of the Lakota school district.
There are painting and watercolor workshops held with patients and staff from Cincinnati Children’s contributed to the works. These works seek to inspire the same endless possibilities, imagination and optimism that can be felt when enjoying the beauty of a starry night sky.
Also, on the fourth floor there is a Speech Pathology office, Private Room for Breastfeeding, Child Life and Integrative Services office.
Seating within the walls
They thought of everything with this addition! They Opted not to have a lot of furniture in this area to make sure it’s easy for families to navigate, especially when they’re dealing with strollers, wheelchairs, and the like.
Area for On-Call Physicians (to the right, near the 4D entry)
- A key part of our expanded care model, as there will be Hospital Medicine physicians onsite around the clock, just like at our main hospital
- Contains 4 on-call sleep rooms and a provider work area
Size and Features
- The inpatient unit extends the full length of the building (which is visible from the hallway on the other side of the building), incorporating 42 patient rooms, including this section, which will be primarily for Oncology patients and 4 rooms specifically designed for sleep studies (all the way at the end of the unit).
- Ten nursing stations on this floor.
- Three family rooms, two large playrooms on this floor
- Respiratory therapy room and large rehabilitation room on this floor
- Design elements, such as color changes and nursing stations featuring different color schemes, help this large patient floor feel homey and intimate
- Recessed arches in the ceiling group patient rooms; with a working desk space between every two rooms, with windows for the nurse to see into the patient without disturbing the patient or family every time
- Unique pass-through style openings for stocking of supplies and collection of garbage
- Similar, but securely locked, pass-through for patient medications
- Artwork in patient rooms created by professional artists, keeping with the space design theme
Patient room features:
- Larger than patient rooms at main campus, better to accommodate family needs while their child is an inpatient here, extra curtains around family space for privacy
- Lots of natural light brightens the entire floor
- “Seek and find” art on the acoustical ceiling tiles right over the patients’ beds
- The hospital’s new GetWell Network – an entertainment and education system will be available in each patient room here from the start
- Sleeper couch for patient’s family
- Tracking in the ceiling if a patient lift is needed
Telemedicine:
- Have telemedicine capabilities that allow the care team and doctors here to communicate directly with specialists at the main hospital downtown. The specialists there can actually see the patient through this technology and can therefore provide improved care through “in-person” consultation
Improvements on other floors –
- Added a blood bank – for the needs of higher acuity patients – on first floor, adjoining the clinical lab.
- Expanded the inpatient pharmacy to accommodate larger inpatient population and chemotherapy requirements – second floor.
- Additional administrative offices to accommodate more staff – second floor.
New renovations in 2nd floor lobby.
- Gift shop – moved and significantly increased in size
- Outpatient pharmacy – new service being offered for parent convenience – Hours are 9am to 8pm Monday thru Friday and 10am to 2pm on Saturday and Sunday
- Financial counselor office – service is available both here onsite and by phone
- Family Resource Center – similar to the one we have at our main hospital, providing easy access to information, other family resources and service organization contacts
- Chapel/peace place – moved to be more accessible for everyone receiving services here at Liberty Campus
- Moved the greeter’s desk to the outside wall
- Expanded to full-service cafeteria from small café that was here previously – first floor. Includes a new kitchen area, and the main dining room is significantly larger and includes outdoor seating as well. Provides greater access to food throughout the day.
The expansion was well thought out and beautifully executed. I hope to never have to need the facilities but it is nice to know they are there for those who do need to use them. Having a loved one in the hospital is stressful and a drain emotionally, physically, mentally, and financially. The expansion will hopefully elevate some of the that for those staying at the Liberty Campus. Well done Children’s!
