Faced with significant financial and bureaucratic constraints, but willing to set lofty goals nonetheless, hospital officials in Toronto met their once-in-a-lifetime challenge with award-winning results.
The gold medal in the 31st annual Modern Healthcare Design Awards goes to the new Humber River Hospital and architectural firm HDR of Omaha, Neb.
The 656-bed hospital, which opened last fall, was built with its own triple aim: Lean, green and high-tech.
Hospital planners used Lean Six Sigma methodologies, including a pre-construction workflow analysis, to identify and create labor-saving design features, such as a layout that significantly reduced staff footsteps.
Leaders also committed to using energy-saving devices such as low-flow plumbing fixtures and lighting strategies to maximize the use of daylight with the goal of achieving the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Silver-level standard.