In Chesterfield, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, Forum Studio and design-builder Clayco have created the $54 million, 125,000-sf Mercy Virtual Care Center, a high-tech medical center, innovation think tank, conference center, sales showroom, and office building for Mercy, the nation’s fifth-largest Catholic health system.
The truly innovative aspect of the center is its virtual-care capability, which equips its medical professionals to deliver care at the bedside of patients anywhere. This is especially important for chronically ill patients—diabetic patients, for example—who have been dismissed by the hospital but who need to adjust their medications, report any flare-ups, or just want assurance that they’re doing well—all to avoid costly readmissions.
One such patient is Jim Hoevelmann, 74, who lives 70 miles from the Mercy facility. Hoevelmann suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a condition that requires a lot of continuing care. Using his iPad and basic medical test equipment, Hoevelmann can check his vital signs and instantly report them to his care team in Chesterfield. Patients are scheduled for video visits one to three times a week, but they can call the facility at any time.
“24-7, I can call that number and I’ve got somebody helping me, to either change my medication or get me to the hospital, or whatever they decide to do,” he told a reporter from KSDK-TV (http://on.ksdk.com/2adx8Th).
Hoevelmann’s internist, J. Gavin Helton, Medical Director of Ambulatory Care at Mercy, said, “We get to know his medical history, and we build a plan that’s specific to him. Many times we know when something’s happening with Jim before he even knows it.”
Hoevelmann said he got such a call from Helton one Sunday night at 9:30. “He put me on Prednisone that night and by the next morning I was coming out of it again,” he says. “They’ve done that twice.”
CBRE Healthcare’s Patrick Duke says the virtual care center demonstrates Mercy’s organizational entrepreneurship.
“More and more hospital systems are looking to fund operations like this in the face of declining reimbursement,” says Duke, a member of BD+C Editorial Board.
Read about more innovations from BD+C's 2016 Great Solutions Report
Related Stories
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
GBBN designers take on wellness research
In a new research paper, three healthcare specialists present factors that contribute to a psychological state that is receptive to healing.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Visual energy model database demystifies net-zero design
Diamond Schmitt Architects’ ecoMetrics tool allows its designers to quickly analyze solutions based on models from 44 LEED-certified projects.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Reusable infection control barriers ease hospital renovation
Clark Construction Group pilots the Edge Guard system on the Fair Oaks (Va.) Hospital reconstruction project.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Novel construction approach speeds K-12 school projects
The Folia system uses pre-engineered components to deliver school buildings at 20% less cost.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Mobile emergency room arrives just in time for Alabama hospital
The MED-1 Mobile Hospital Unit serves as a lower-cost solution during construction of new ED.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Durable coffeemaker brings a bit of comfort to job sites
The CoffeeBoxx is lightweight rust proof, dust proof, water resistant, and ultra durable.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Reclaimed wood paneling adds color to retail and hospitality projects
Colorburst panels are available in four stock options—Robin Egg Blue, Viridian Green, Haute Pink, and Cascade White—as well as custom colors.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Biophilic pods beat the shade when it comes to outdoor cooling
The Xylem concept by CallisonRTKL regulates outdoor thermal comfort through shading, air movement, water circulation, and a vegetated roof.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
Mini-grant R&D program pays off in a big way for AE firm
Created through funding from Little’s LaceUp program, the Center for Building Performance has helped the design firm win 14 new jobs since its inception.
Great Solutions | Aug 23, 2016
At Beyer Blinder Belle everyone’s seeing RED
The firm’s R&D initiative inspires its designers to develop ideas that could positively disrupt the practice.