A $4.6 million renovation project at Conway Regional Medical Center is coming to fruition following the hospital’s president and CEO witnessing firsthand as a patient what could be improved at his hospital.
Jim Lambert, who was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia in May 2012, relied on his hospital staff for several weeks of treatment and care.
He said, while a number of factors played a role in the renovation need, his time in a patient room was key to moving the project forward.
“I spent about 30 days in a patient room about three years ago,” he said. “It gives you a perspective of, ‘Wow, why do we do this?’ or ‘This doesn’t look really nice.’”
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Hospital administrators are also keenly aware of the competition that is already a factor for Conway Regional as construction continues on what will soon become Baptist Health Medical Center – Conway.
“It’s not unfair to say, if you’re going to be competing with a new house or a new office, you need to make sure that yours looks as good as it can,” Lambert said. “But we’re always looking to make sure our facilities look as good as they can look.”
Renovation discussions became more serious about a year and a half ago, and the first phase began May 4.
Just under 100 patient rooms will see a refresh as part of the renovation project, with estimated completion by the end of this year.
Some of the renovation work includes the third and fourth floors of the Patient Tower, as well as the north end of the tower’s second floor.
Patient rooms were last updated about 10 years ago, Lambert said, adding that it was time for this year’s project to take top priority after other recent projects were crossed off the Conway Regional to-do list.
The look and fell will resemble the design in certain respects of the 2012 two-story addition at Conway Regional, a $32 million project.
Lambert said the patient rooms will see an “overall facelift.”
Fan units previously below windows in patient rooms will relocate to the ceiling to free up floor space. Doors will also be reconfigured to corridor areas and recessed lighting will be added in rooms.
“We don’t have the opportunity to change the rooms a whole lot but we can reorient doors and things to make [the rooms] appear much larger and to function a little bit better,” Lambert said.
An upgrade to patient bathrooms is also part of the renovation efforts, making them more modern in accessibility and design.
“[Conway Regional is] going to be a lot warmer,” Lambert said. “It’s not going to be a sterile, hospital look. The floors will have a wood look. The colors will be softer.”
One things from the prospective of patients that Bryan Gibbs, vice president of support services at Conway Regional, said will be essential is the improvement of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system.
“We trouble keeping rooms at the right temperature, so we’ll have more control over the temperature and will make it more comfortable for the patient and family environment,” he said.
Gibbs said the upgrades will help the hospital focus more on the needs of patients and staff.
Staff were heavily involved during the remodel planning process, with a model room set up in an area of the hospital for employees to give input – down to minute details such as the placement of electrical outlets.
“As much as we could get staff input on how things flow and work, we try to do that,” Lambert said. “We made a number of changes based on the input from staff.”
Pediatric nurse Wesley Bowlin said the renovation will decrease the fall risk for patients, making rooms safer for them during their stay.
“The biggest benefit I would see is more accessibility for the nursing staff to be at the bedside, not fighting with more machines and equipment,” he said.
Shana Sanders, RN, added that she and others on staff will be able to maneuver around a patient room with more freedom after the reconfiguration of space.
During the renovations, Gibbs said units will be shut down one at a time, meaning Conway Regional will lose 18 rooms for about eight weeks in a cycle.
“There’s a lot of juggling that has to go on when you lose that [space],” he said. “All the floors are tightening up. Staff are moving around to where the patients are. It’s just a daily evaluation.”
Lambert said the project will result in a lot of coordination and cooperation from patients, who he hopes will only see minor signs of construction work before completion.
As part of the renovation efforts already under way with general contractor Nabholz Construction, the hospital is also looking ahead to upgrades to the lobby areas and emergency department (ER).
“The lobbies are basically going to be [getting new] finishes,” Lambert said, adding that new furniture, wall coverings and flooring will be part of that project. “You can clean but if its getting old, it doesn’t look clean.”
Work on the west lobby is near completion, and work on the east lobby began this weekend.
Lambert said Conway Regional will work to improve the flow of the ER, adding that adjustments could be seen more as an “interim solution” to some of the current challenges in the department.
Gibbs said the hospital is currently evaluating engineering proposals and design layouts for the ER.
That project will likely start within the next few months, Lambert said.
The Women’s Center, Critical Care Unit (CCU), Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU) and Geriatric Transitional Care Unit will not be impacted as a result of the renovation work.
Date: May 16, 2015