Children's Clinical Building Expansion
In late June 2005, Children's Hospital Boston will open the upper floors of the new 11-story Clinical Building Expansion (CBE) as part of a two-phased occupancy. An extension of the hospital's existing Main Building, the CBE will give clinicians access to some of the most cutting-edge technology while carving out more room for patients and their families. Here are some of the highlights of the new space.
Brighter, more colorful welcomes
Reception areas will greet visitors as they come off the elevators from the Main Elevator Lobby.
Larger, more open ICUs
The hospital's world-class Cardiac and Medical/Surgical intensive care units (ICUs) are moving into new space in the CBE. Forty-eight beds spread out over two floors will give critical caregivers unfettered access to patients needing the highest level of care.
Ceiling-mounted booms stocked with nearly everything needed for patient care&mdashincluding surgical lights and small TVs for patients—allow the beds to be moved to the center of the room so clinicians can have 360-degree patient access.
Patient families will now be able to sleep in custom bed spaces with storage and lots of natural light.
A mobile MRI unit for more precise surgery
A first-of-its-kind 15,000-pound mobile magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) unit suspended from a piece of structural steel similar to those holding up the building is the main feature of this space-age operating room. The mobility of the MRI unit lets surgeons use their usual metal surgical tools instead of those made of non-metallic substances developed for use in other intraoperative MRI machines. The MR/OR is one of eight new surgical suites in the CBE.
The magnet will be brought out from behind doors to take images before and after an operation so surgeons can remove brain and other tumors with utmost accuracy.
More room, comforts for patients and families
The 48 new inpatient rooms on floors 9 and 10 are home to amenities and comforts to make hospital stays more comfortable. Every room is a single, and there's more room for family members, as a wardrobe and bed space with a mattress have been built into the alcove next to each window.
An entertainment center in each room features a TV, DVD player, video game console, Internet connection and a place to hang artwork or get well cards.
A bay for the ICU on wheels
The back side of the CBE will be home to Children's Critical Care Transport Ambulance. Special features include room for two patients, an X-ray box, IV warmer and a DVD player for children awake during transport.
