What is the Hospital of the Future?

Palomar Pomerado Health in North San Diego County has spent the past six years with a certain question in mind during the planning and construction of its replacement hospital: What is the hospital of the future?

With a vision for a patient-focused healing environment upon completion, Palomar recognized that it was equally important to build and operate in an environmentally responsible way in order to provide a healing environment for the community and society as a whole. To achieve this, it committed to creating a culture that embodied those principles through its approach to planning, teamwork, and project implementation. 

As part of the integrated team, Los Angeles-based CO Architects lead the design initiatives, working closely with Palomar to bring to reality its sustainable vision for Palomar Medical Center West.

The overriding principle was one of nature balanced with technology to meet clinical needs in a space that reduces stress and aids in wayfinding and navigation. Descriptors include “flexible,” “efficient,” “integrated,” “comforting,” and “patient-focused.” As described by Frances Moore, AIA, LEED AP, associate principal, CO Architects, “Palomar Pomerado’s hospital of the future benefits from the intersection of nature and technology—nature to soften technology, and technology to enhance the experience of nature.”

Due to the sheer size of the project and the more than six years needed to build it, Palomar knew special attention had to go toward integration of various players to carry it out. This went beyond the traditional integrated design team. With Palomar acting as general contractor, it needed to manage more than 100 individual subcontractors. 

The leadership team balanced evidence and research with an integrated team approach with input from work groups and the community. Palomar Pomerado registered the project as a Pebble Partner with The Center for Health Design (CHD). The Center helped it create “champion teams” to coordinate an integrated and evidence-based approach to address: 

• Unit configuration;
• An interventional platform;
• Technology;
• A healing environment; and
• Sustainability. 

Recommendations were made based upon criteria related to their impact on quality and patient safety, customer service, financial strength, and the workforce.

A Kresge grant funded an “eco charrette” to gather varying perspectives on environmental stewardship. It included vendors, community members, and staff.  Balancing nature with technology was of benefit to patients, but much of the design was dedicated to creating a healing environment for the staff as well. Conversations are underway with CHD to identify which topics will be researched once the building is complete.

Teamwork and communication