As the largest healthcare provider in the East Valley of Metropolitan Phoenix, Desert Samaritan treats close to 45,000 patients annually, with the number growing each year. To meet demand, increase the hospital’s state-of-the-art services and gain further marketability for staff recruitment, the Medical Center embarked on a major expansion. The new North Tower incorporates patient comfort and Planetree concepts into the Children’s Center, Heart Center, Surgical Care and Endoscopy. A south expansion incorporating the same concepts includes a new Woman’s Center.

Patient and family comfort, as well as ease of access for healthcare providers, dictated design solutions. Hospitality was a key feature in all areas of design, with special attention given to transforming the institutional nature of the hospital into a comfortable environment for patients, visitors and staff. Each hospital department is carefully linked following the dominant first impression of a lobby featuring an atrium, water feature, escalator, hotel-type grouped seating, and upgraded lighting, finishes and textures throughout. To accommodate mixed patient types, sub-waiting areas allow private seating for Endoscopy, PAT and Registration

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Allowing direct vision to patient rooms, minimizing barriers between staff and patients, concealing technology and equipment, and offering natural light into spaces through windows and skylights are a few of the features that have led to increased productivity and patient satisfaction.

PROJECT CATEGORY New Construction (completed November 2000)

CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR Bruce Pearson, CEO, (480) 835-3289

FIRM The Orcutt/Winslow Partnership, (602) 257-1764

DESIGN TEAM Herman Orcutt, AIA, Partner; Scott Sponsler, AIA, Team Leader; Shubhada Karanjia, Project Manager; Jeff Stein, Project Architect; Caroline Lobo, Designer

PHOTOGRAPHY © Al Payne

BED CAPACITY 64

TOTAL BUILDING AREA (SQ. FT.) 148,000

TOTAL LAND AREA (ACRES) 40

TOTAL COST (EXCLUDING LAND) $24,879,533