Project category: New construction & Remodel/Renovation (completed December 2002)

Chief administrator: Douglas Silverstein, President, (847) 657-5800

Firm: Eckenhoff Saunders Architects, (312) 786-1204

Design team: Walter L. Eckenhoff, AIA, ACHA, Principal-in-Charge; Steven Grassi, AIA, Project Manager; Jeffery Conner, AIA, Project Architect (Eckenhoff Saunders Architects); Jeffrey Mark, Equipment Consultant (Jeffrey Mark Associates)

Photography: Steve Hall, © Hedrich Blessing

Total building area (sq. ft.): 125,000 (new); 25,000 (renovation)

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $266 (new); $268 (renovation)

Total construction cost (excluding land): $33,300,000 (new); $6,700,000 (renovation)

A growing population, changing technology, and commitment to excellent patient care were the driving forces behind Glenbrook Hospital’s new 150,000-square-foot expansion and renovation. The project created a new three-floor patient wing and doubled surgical and outpatient care capacity while simultaneously upgrading the ambience of public areas and clinical departments. Phasing allowed full and safe capacity throughout the project’s two-year duration.

New and renovated departments include Gastroenterology, a 24-bed Medical/Surgical Inpatient Unit, Surgery, Recovery, and a 12-bed ICU. Increased outpatient demographics in the community necessitated efficient space planning, close relationships between surgical and outpatient services, and easy patient access to all high-volume departments.

Staff was highly involved in the project’s design, resulting in an efficient work environment centered on improving patient care and increasing the time nurses spend at the bedside. Throughout the hospital, nurses’ stations were decentralized and strategically placed to increase accessibility while minimizing interruptions.

The renovation introduced natural lighting throughout the hospital, even in the sterile OR core. Most patient rooms feature wall-to-wall windows, built-in armoires, oak-covered headwall units, and spacious bathrooms. Features such as oak flooring, natural slate, plant shelves, artwork, and family seating create a reassuring and warm environment.

The hospital’s renovation also marked its shift to paperless technology. Nurses and physicians have easy and confidential access to patient records throughout the hospital via the Epic system, reducing the chance of charting errors and strengthening the continuum of care.