The Baptist Health Foundation will launch a three-year fundraising campaign in April as part of an initiative aimed at much-needed renovations to Baptist Health’s flagship campus in Little Rock.
Though the Little Rock facility was state of the art in 1974, it is now 37 years old, showing its age in places, and needs improvements to ensure that the entire system remains competitive for future success.
In addition to enabling Baptist Health to remain financially strong in a competitive market by making these renovations, employees will see improved facilities for their work environment and patient care.
Baptist Health will make the following improvements to the Little Rock campus:
- A remodeled and modernized grand atrium that will be the front door to the campus and be the first impression many people have of Baptist Health
- A new dining area that will rejuvenate the look of the cafeteria, which is another important place for visitor impressions of Baptist Health and also serves employee needs
- Increased private rooms to remain competitive with other area hospitals that offer all private rooms, one of the most important things patients want during a hospital stay
- Tightened security for patients, visitors, and employees
- Technology upgrades to keep up with fast-pace changes in medicine
- Specialized and enlarged surgical suites to improve patient care
- A new escalator system for the lobby and mezzanine
Lobby Renovations to Lay Out the Welcome Mat
More welcoming, more accessible, and more to like about a first impression –– that’s what the grand atrium design accomplishes in totally renovating the lobby and main entrance at BHMC-Little Rock.
What’s included in the plan? A system of escalators will provide access to multiple locations in the lower levels of the hospital, enabling greater availability to key locations on the higher floors. In addition, this will make it easier to transport patients to and from the Women’s Center area and to the newly renovated dining area.
This entrance to the hospital will match the appearance of the remodeled waiting area for the emergency room at BHMC-LR, the atrium of the Hickingbotham Outpatient Center, and the entrance to the J.A. Gilbreath Conference Center, all of which were funded by the Baptist Health Foundation.
Cafeteria Renovations for a Better Dining Experience
A fresh new look is on the menu.
The dining area is more than a place to get a bite to eat. For visitors and employees, it’s a social area, a gathering place, a place to relax, and a stress reliever. In short, patient rooms and surgical suites aren’t the only areas of healing on a hospital campus.
Nearly 4,000 people are served meals at BHMC-Little Rock every day, making it one of the busiest restaurants in Arkansas. And because it serves such critical roles for so many people, it’s important to make the dining area as pleasant and inviting as possible.
The Foundation’s capital campaign will help transform the dining area into a hub of comfort with new furnishings, beautiful surroundings, and other needed amenities.
Private Rooms Make More Satisfied Customers
Today’s healthcare customer demands and expects a greater degree of comfort than ever before. To remain competitive in the future in a market where every other facility offers more private rooms, BHMC-LR must be able to provide a private room for each patient.
Providing private rooms has become a key patient satisfaction issue.
Currently, all-private rooms are available only on the obstetrics floor, orthopedic and neurosurgery floor, and two of the general medical/surgical units. The goal is to meet patient expectations in this day and age by offering this same level of privacy to all patients.
Preparing for Tomorrow’s Technology
Today’s medical centers require tomorrow’s technology.
With technology improving and expanding every year, the surgical suites at BHMC-LR require additional space and equipment compared to operating rooms in 1974 when the hospital was built.
In recent years, Baptist Health has added more technology such as the da Vinci robotic surgical system, the NanoKnife system, and the HeartMate left ventricular assist device, just to name a few.
The capital campaign will help create four types of surgical and treatment suites within the surgical technology center:
- General Surgical Suite –– a multi-purpose suite able to accommodate a number of crucial procedures such as general surgery, otolaryngology, orthopedics, neurosurgery, and more.
- Robotic Suite –– a high-tech suite specifically designed to support procedures performed with the da Vinci robotic surgical system.
- Endo Suite –– designed exclusively for laparoscopic and minimally invasive procedures, this surgical suite enables surgeons to adapt to evolving minimally invasive techniques.
- Hybrid Suite –– a cutting-edge environment with built-in diagnostic capabilities such as those utilized in the cardiac cath lab and radiology. This suite offers patients the maximum care they need in a single location.