Our Plan is about more than just the building. Incorporated into the design and execution of the new North Tower will be numerous amenities and capabilities that represent a new and higher level of patient care. The new hospital tower makes use of what we have learned about providing the best possible care for patients, including advanced technology for diagnosis and treatment and comfortable environments to speed the healing process.

Our Plan

• The new Hollfelder Emergency Care Center will occupy the entire first floor of the new tower and will serve up to 50,000 patients per year. The emergency department will expand from 18 beds to 28 beds and an 18-bed observation.
• The second floor will be dedicated to a Center for Critical Care, featuring two 10-bed critical care units), expanding our ICU capacity from 29 to 40.
• Three new medical/surgical floors with will feature specialty areas for cardiology, cancer, orthopedics, and internal medicine. The patient rooms wrap around the entire floor, and surround a central nursing station and support areas for maximum efficiency and optimal delivery of care. Total bed capacity will increase from 315 to 396.

Advanced Technology and Information Systems

• Information systems, from digital x-rays to electronic medical records, are the heartbeat of modern hospital systems. These systems provide better information that can be more easily consulted by physicians and staff, while also providing increased safeguards for patient privacy and care. The impact of these systems will be felt from the moment a patient steps into Methodist Hospital.
• There will be new systems that will speed patient registration and admitting processes, as well as provide real-time tracking of patient status, progress, location and clinical information by physicians and specialists.
• From fetal heart monitors to cardiac catheterization, treatment options become more effective with each generation of technology. An investment of millions of dollars will be crucial in equipping the new Patient Tower and replacing older generations of technology throughout the hospital.

Healing Environment to Nurture the Mind, Body and Spirit

• The Next Generation of Care will take care of mental and emotional as well as physical aspects of healing with features such as gardens, waiting rooms with kitchenettes, internet access for patients and visitors, and careful attention to such amenities as lighting and other environmental factors that play a crucial role in how patients feel and heal.