The Provena Mercy Medical Center surgery addition was one of the largest construction initiatives the system had undertaken to date and is only the beginning of a larger capital initiative to expand, renovate, and update the Mercy campus as it repositions itself in the marketplace.

The project, which includes 96,230 square feet of new space, will become the major new outpatient entrance on the Mercy campus and will cater primarily to patients requiring heart, orthopedic, bariatric, and endoscopic procedures, as well as minimally invasive surgeries. The completed surgery addition houses 12 new operating rooms and 40 bays/rooms that will house PACU, Pre/Post-recovery, Holding, and Ambulatory Surgery patients.

The short-stay patient rooms all have private toilets and family amenities that allow family members to remain with patients during most of their stay. Also included are a two-room endoscopy procedure suite and related support spaces for that program, as well as an expanded waiting room with visitor amenities, a registration area, and administrative and support spaces for the surgery department. The lower level houses a new, relocated Central Sterile Supply department, cart staging/storage, clean and soiled holding, and general storage, as well as a mechanical and electrical space.

Project category: New construction (completed April 2005)

Chief administrator: Timothy P. Selz, President and CEO, (630) 859-2222

Firm: Proteus Group, (312) 337-7800

Design team: Timothy M. Gregg, AIA, ACHA, Principal-in-Charge/Planner; Susan Limbrunner, Project Manager; Ruben Olmeda, Project Architect; Brian K. Wattleworth, PE, Engineering Principal-in-Charge; Elizabeth Erazmus, Interior Designer

Photography: ©2005 Joe Ciarlante Photography; ©2005 Dimitre

Total building area (sq. ft.): 96,230

Construction cost/sq. ft.: $201

Total construction cost (excluding land): $19,300,000

The project brings some of the most modern and state-of-the-art medical technology to Chicago’s suburbs, including digital imaging equipment that virtually eliminates the need for x-ray films. It also features a unique UPS (uninterruptible power supply) backup system—one of only three UPS systems in the country installed in a healthcare institution. This technology eliminates the lag time between a power failure and the start of a generator, which lasts roughly ten seconds for most hospitals. The conference areas have an educational component. The ORs are equipped with digital cameras, making it possible to view surgeries from the conference/training center.

Patient rooms in the new addition feature wood-look floors, warm paint colors, and wall-sconce lighting to create a spa-like, rather than an institutional, feel. Patient-centric amenities such as flat-screen televisions, artwork, and comfortable furniture for guests complete the suites. Colors are soft and soothing greens and golds with some stronger accents.

Public space amenities include a main waiting area, coffee shop, children’s play area, ATM/phone/drinking fountain area, and information desk in an open and airy space with wood accents and soothing colors. Private registration rooms are immediately adjacent to the entry and main waiting space.

Proteus Group’s role in this project also included assisting the client in assessing which state-of-the-art technology/design elements to implement and which enhancements could provide a return on investment.