The Veterans Administration selected KFDE to design the first patient-centered care inpatient ward for Medical Centers throughout the Arizona, New Mexico and Texas region as a way to introduce new concepts for the changing health care environment and how these can be employed in the aging VA facilities. For the pilot project, the VA chose Thomas E. Creek VA Medical Center in Amarillo, Texas (built circa 1939). The project focused on ‘veteran centered care’ design to accommodate the specific needs of the patient as well as staff comfort and functionality. We created a number of concepts for VA Leadership review, medical staff input and patient feedback with the final design adopting new ideas such as:
- Single loaded corridors to bring in more natural light
- Individual patient observation stations
- Enhanced family waiting areas
- Patient access to food and drink with a space to sit down and enjoy a meal with family
- Comfortable areas within the patient room for the caregiver
- Staff breakrooms and quiet areas
- Special lighting built into the corridor walls.
At its grand opening both public officials and hospital administrators touted the project as a model to be used throughout the region of how patient wards should be designed.