A New Horizon in Critical Care: St. Mary's Hospital embarked on an ambitious renovation of the 7th floor Neurocritical Care Unit (NCCU), with a clear vision to expand their capacity and enhance their delivery of critical care. The objective was not just to add capacity, but to reimagine the patient care environment completely. MMA rose to the challenge, meticulously investigating the possibilities for growth and responding to the hospital's needs with a blueprint for a closed NCCU that prioritizes patient care without compromising process efficiency.

Tailored Design for Enhanced Care: The new design by MMA met every one of St. Mary's stringent requirements, creating a unit that is both functionally advanced and patient-centric. The NCCU now boasts properly sized and configured patient environments, including two specialized bariatric-impaired rooms with large toilets to accommodate all patient needs. The placement of the unit clerk remains unchanged, facilitating uninterrupted workflow, while small cubbies for dictation and a rethought strategy for family involvement ensure that the care environment is inclusive and efficient. Despite a decline in OP Spine Surgery cases and an increase in palliative admits from the NCCU, the enhanced design has prepared St. Mary's to handle these changes effectively, reflecting a 34% increase in the average daily census over the eight months prior.