Medical Home in Leominster, Massachusetts by Margulies Perruzzi Architects designed using Revit

Article source: Margulies Perruzzi Architects

DESIGN CHALLENGE

Fallon Clinic is a large multi-specialty medical group practice located throughout Central Massachusetts. After designing multiple facilities for Fallon, Margulies Perruzzi Architects was tasked to design a pilot “medical home” family practice for Fallon Clinic in Leominster. The term “medical home” refers to an innovative healthcare delivery method that provides a team of healthcare professionals, rather than one doctor, who offer a wide range of services with four main functions: educate, monitor, guide and reach out. Efficiency and flexibility of both space and healthcare professionals are crucial.

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

• ARCHITECT: Margulies Perruzzi Architects
• NAME OF PROJECT: Medical Home
• LOCATION: Leominster, Massachusetts
• COMPLETION: January 2011
• PHOTOGRAPHER: Warren Patterson
• Software used: Revit

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

• SIZE: 15,000 sf including rehabilitation and medical specialties
• PRINCIPAL: Marc Margulies, AIA, LEED AP
• PROJECT MANAGER: Christine Law Pestana, AIA, LEED AP
• CONSTRUCTION: F.W. Madigan
• CLIENT CONTACT: John Duggan

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

The design goal for this project was to use Lean design, as well as Revit, to create the most efficient, organized, and streamlined atmosphere. In order to get going in the right direction, MPA used the Lean process to analyze and simplify the daily functions. The term “lean design” is the collaborative effort by all involved in any process to reduce waste, increase efficiency, eliminate redundancy, and increase value. However, because of the unique nature of the “medical home” the Lean process was not of a singular office such as surgery, or primary care, but rather it was a comprehensive and exhaustive experience and process improvement.

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

USING REVIT

The screenshots above are the result of using Revit during the design process allowed all project team members to see the space in 3D. The bottom image shows the final, built space. Revit is part of a class of software known as BIM, or “Building Information Modeling”. The advantages of BIM include reducing the number of costly changes during construction, enhancing communication and coordination between project team members, and providing better visualization of the project design.

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

LEAN DESIGN

While several design elements contributed to the overall outcome of the project, both a physical element and a human element combined to achieve success:

1. Rather than having designated separate areas for check-in and check-out, MPA and Fallon designed a system where all stations could perform both intake and output processes. This prevents the “bottle-neck” effect and significantly cuts down on waiting time.

2. Each team consists of one Nurse practitioner, two Advanced Practitioners (AP), and two Medical Assistants. As the limiting factor of each team depends on the availability of the AP, MPA designed the clinic with the APs at the center. Glass front offices at the core gives APs the most efficient access to the rest of the area while providing the rest of the team easy access to the AP. This “visual management” is an important part of efficiency. Doctors, nurses, and medical assistants must all be able to see each other, as well as see which rooms are currently occupied.

3. All exam rooms have color coded tabs on the outside so that the rest of the team is aware of wait time, clean-up time, supplies needed, and availability.

4. The Lean process is so thorough and exhaustive that no detail is too small and nothing is overlook; a few other examples of how MPA improved this clinic are:

• Supplies are kept neatly organized and stored directly adjacent to where they are used
• Patient Service Specialists are co-located to cover for one another
• Exam rooms are laid out exactly the same to promote “standard work”

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Images Courtesy Warren Patterson

Tags: Leominster, Massachusetts

Categories: Clinic, Revit

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011 at 5:37 am. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.