Project Category Remodel/Renovation (completed September 2000)

CHIEF ADMINISTRATOR George Mejias, Director of Design and Construction

FIRM Jeffrey Berman Architect, (212) 967-3400

DESIGN TEAM Jeffrey Berman, Principal; William Nathans, Associate; Lucy Riederer (Jeffrey Berman Architect); Suzanne Dean, Interior Designer (Granary Associates)

PHOTOGRAPHY John Bartelstone; Li Pei Wang

BED CAPACITY 437

TOTAL BUILDING AREA (SQ. FT.) N/A

TOTAL LAND AREA N/A

TOTAL COST $19,000,000 (construction cost)

John Bartelstone

John Bartelstone

John Bartelstone

Before
Through a series of departmental renovations, the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is working to improve patient comfort, while preserving a high standard of treatment.

The Radiation Oncology Department, located on the main campus in Manhattan, serves both inpatients and outpatients. The expansion and renovation program called for the replacement of linear accelerators over several years; immediate expansion of the clinical practice to give it a modern, spa-like image; and the provision of appropriate work spaces for staff.

The design solution was to reorganize the department into three distinct service areas. Scheduling was rethought and redesigned so patients always would come to the same suite for each visit and the staff would remain constant.

Inpatients and outpatients are kept separate. Inpatients are fur ther separated according to the nature of their visit—treatment or consultation—and the clinical practice has been divided into three suites of seven exam rooms. Each suite has independent support areas, including reception, waiting, physician work areas and separate office spaces. Patients wait in the same area designated for their specialty every time they visit.

The large scale of the linear accelerators can be intimidating for patients. Alternative finishes and lighting were used in treatment rooms to create a more relaxing atmosphere.

Designing for the efficiency and convenience of staff was also key. Linear accelerator rooms were fitted with custom casework to accommodate the accessories needed for each session. The control desks for the linear accelerators were custom-designed and then implemented as standard components for all linear accelerator rooms.

With the expansion of the clinical program in Radiation Oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and the architect developed a new model for patient flow and staff interaction that has helped improve the work environment and, consequently, the quality of care.