flexiblefullpage -
billboard - default
interstitial1 - interstitial
catfish1 - bottom
Currently Reading

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system

Healthcare Facilities

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system

The Helena Theurer Pavilion at Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center features 24 operating rooms, 175 medical beds, and New Jersey’s first intraoperative MRI system.


By Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor | March 22, 2023
New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system All photos courtesy Page
All photos courtesy Page

Hackensack (N.J.) University Medical Center recently opened its 530,000-sf Helena Theurer Pavilion, a nine-story surgical and intensive care tower designed by RSC Architects and Page. The county’s first hospital, Hackensack University Medical Center, a 781-bed nonprofit teaching and research hospital, was founded in 1888.

The Pavilion features New Jersey’s first intraoperative MRI system, used during neurosurgical and neuro-interventional procedures to help neurosurgeons accurately remove tumors and treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy. Of the facility’s 24 operating rooms, six have been designed to accommodate robotic-assisted surgery systems, allowing surgeons to perform minimally invasive procedures that may reduce recovery time and improve outcomes. 

The Pavilion also includes the following: 

  • 72 post-anesthesia care unit beds and 50 intensive care unit (ICU) beds
  • 175 medical/surgical beds, including a Musculoskeletal Institute and intermediate care rooms
  • 12 negative-pressure rooms to reduce the risk of aerosolized disease transmission within the hospital
  • Six da Vinci robotic surgical systems, including four orthopedic robots for joint replacement procedures
  • All-private patient rooms

In addition, the entire building can be converted to a negative-pressure facility in the event of a future pandemic or public health emergency.

The Helena Theurer Pavilion incorporates features that enhance patient comfort, patient safety, and employee efficiency. These include dedicated CT imaging on the ICU floor, a monitor tablet outside each patient room for employees, in-room team workstations, and patient lift systems. 

“This is one of the largest hospital construction projects in the country, and we could not be more proud to advance healthcare for the communities we are privileged to serve,” Robert C. Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, said in a statement.

On the Building Team:
Owner: Hackensack Meridian Health
Design and medical planning architect: Page
Architect of record (interior build-out of the Pavilion): Page
Architect of record (overall): RSC Architects
MEP: Syska Hennessy Group
Structural engineer: Reuther + Bowen
Construction manager: Blanchard Turner

 

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system All photos courtesy Page

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system All photos courtesy Page

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system All photos courtesy Page

New Jersey’s new surgical tower features state’s first intraoperative MRI system All photos courtesy Page

Related Stories

| Aug 3, 2022

Designing learning environments to support the future of equitable health care

While the shortage of rural health care practitioners was a concern before the COVID-19 pandemic, the public health crisis has highlighted the importance of health equity in the United States and the desperate need for practitioners help meet the needs of patients in vulnerable rural communities.

Healthcare Facilities | Aug 1, 2022

New Phoenix VA outpatient clinic is one of the largest veteran care facilities in the U.S.

The new Phoenix 32nd Street VA Clinic, spanning roughly 275,000 sf over 15 acres, is one of the largest veteran care facilities in the U.S.

Building Team | Jul 12, 2022

10 resource reduction measures for more efficient and sustainable biopharma facilities

Resource reduction measures are solutions that can lead to lifecycle energy and cost savings for a favorable return on investment while simultaneously improving resiliency and promoting health and wellness in your facility.

Healthcare Facilities | Jun 22, 2022

Arizona State University’s Health Futures Center: A new home for medical tech innovation

In Phoenix, the Arizona State University (ASU) has constructed its Health Futures Center—expanding the school’s impact as a research institution emphasizing medical technology acceleration and innovation, entrepreneurship, and healthcare education.

Healthcare Facilities | Jun 20, 2022

Is telehealth finally mainstream?

After more than a century of development, telehealth has become a standard alternative for many types of care.

Codes and Standards | Jun 14, 2022

Hospitals’ fossil fuel use trending downward, but electricity use isn’t declining as much

The 2021 Hospital Energy and Water Benchmarking Survey by Grumman|Butkus Associates found that U.S. hospitals’ use of fossil fuels is declining since the inception of the annual survey 25 years ago, but electricity use is dipping more slowly.

Healthcare Facilities | Jun 13, 2022

University of Kansas Health System cancer care floors foster community and empathy

On three floors of Cambridge Tower A at The University of Kansas Health System in Kansas City, patients being treated for blood cancers have a dedicated space that not only keeps them safe during immune system comprising treatments, but also provide feelings of comfort and compassion.

Sponsored | Healthcare Facilities | May 3, 2022

Planning for hospital campus access that works for people

This course defines the elements of hospital campus access that are essential to promoting the efficient, stress-free movement of patients, staff, family, and visitors. Campus access elements include signage and wayfinding, parking facilities, transportation demand management, shuttle buses, curb access, valet parking management, roadways, and pedestrian walkways.

Healthcare Facilities | Apr 19, 2022

6 trends to watch in healthcare design

As the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, IMEG’s healthcare leaders from across the country are seeing several emerging trends that are poised to have wide-ranging impacts on facility design and construction. Following are six of the trends and strategies they expect to become more commonplace in 2022 and the years to come. 

Healthcare Facilities | Apr 14, 2022

Healthcare construction veteran creates next-level IPD process for hospital projects

Can integrated project delivery work without incentives for building team members? Denton Wilson thinks so.

boombox1 - default
boombox2 -
native1 -

More In Category


Healthcare Facilities

Advancing Healthcare: Medical Office Buildings at the Forefront of Access and Safety

This article explores the pivotal shift from traditional hospital settings to Medical Office Buildings (MOBs), focusing on how these facilities enhance patient access. Discover the key drivers of this transformation, including technological advancements, demographic trends, and a growing emphasis on integrated, patient-centered care. Learn how MOBs are not only adapting to modern healthcare demands but are also leveraging modern access control and safety innovations.



halfpage1 -

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021