Residents admire a model of Nemours Children's Hospital at the preview center.
The details at the new Nemours Children’s Hospital make all the difference to Lori Paul.
Her 6-year-old son Max has cystic fibrosis and therefore a weakened immune system. When she supported the idea of using easy-to-clean nonporous surfaces to help fight against the spread of germs, hospital administrators listened.
When Nemours decided to bring its new Children's Hospital to Orlando, not only did architects, executives and physicians get a say in what the hospital would look like and offer — the parents did too.
Paul was part of an advisory panel with other parents whose children have had extended stays in hospitals, doctors and nurses. The panel was created by the Nemours administrative team while the hospital was in the planning stages.
Some ideas came as a surprise to designers and administration. They were things they never would have thought of, said Jarrod Cady, public relations manager for Nemours. The parents gave insight into what someone who isn't a patient, but still spending just as much time in the room, would want.
After spending six nights on a cot for one hospital stay, a more comfortable bed was on Paul's list, too. She loves that Nemours has involved parents in the design, because when a child is sick, moms and dads never leave their children, and the whole family is affected.
"I thought, 'Why didn't anybody else think of this?'" she said.
Designers took a nod from the hospitality industry and added a mini refrigerator, a safe to keep valuables and an outlet next to the bed for parents to charge their cell phones. They hope to create a sense of independence with some of the amenities the new rooms provide.
"We wanted the people who are most important, the families, to be a key partner," said Barbara Meeks, chief nurse executive for the hospital.
Meeks said the rooms are keeping with the philosophy of Nemours, which focuses on family-centered care, and she describes the new design of the room as a "single-family room."
In anticipation of the new facility, Nemours has created a preview center where the community can get a sneak peek of some of the hospital's rooms, including inpatient, outpatient and intensive care spaces, which are fully stocked and equipped as if it were Day One at the hospital. The center serves as a sort of test lab, where visitors can check out the furniture; administrators and doctors can try out equipment; and parents can test the beds for comfort.
Another design feature that helps stop the spread of germs, bacteria and sickness is larger door openings and rooms. This allows equipment such as X-ray machines to be able to go directly to the child in the room. This is what parents worry about, Paul said, especially when their child has such a vulnerable immune system.
"A cold for us could be a hospital stay instead of just four or five days in bed at home," she said.
There are also fun features, such as lights in the room that can change to whatever color the child wants — including a flashing of all the colors, which makes the room look like a disco party — and a big screen television to play games.
The parental involvement isn't going to stop at design, though. Nemours will have parents sit in and ask questions during the interview process for hiring employees. And because they have a family-centered care philosophy, they want parents around during every step of their child's care. They hope the design, which gives a space for everyone, will help parents and doctors communicate better.
"Parents are experts on their children — they have insights that we couldn't possibly know," Cady said. "We want them to feel empowered to talk to the doctor."
And the TV isn't just for games. It will include an itinerary of the day's tests and appointments, so parents know what's going on all day and can be available and prepared for the doctors.
"I can be the voice for my child," Paul said.
The hospital will also benefit Orlando. By next year's opening, the facility will create 800 jobs and add to the health care hub of the "medical city" at Lake Nona.
"This is a game changer for the local economy," Orange County Commissioner Jennifer Thompson said.
You can check out the preview center, 9145 Narcoossee Road, in Orlando, Tuesday-Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To schedule a personal tour, call 407-567-4000.