| Patient Safety |
| Ashley River Tower includes a number of features to improve communication and ensure the safety of
patients and employees at all times. | |
| A new electronic medical records system serves as the single resource for all patient-related information. This system improves efficiency and accuracy of scheduling, patient notes, test results and prescriptions and enhances communication with referring physicians. |
Ashley River Tower is the first health care facility in the country built under the latest seismic and hurricane construction codes. A mock-up portion of the hospital was put under rigorous structural testing, including hurricane winds over 220 mph and earthquake conditions, before it was certified under the new building codes. Special features include: |
| High-test stilts allow emergency parking on the ground floor and to accommodate potential
floodwaters before being moved into the pump station. |
| Central space serves as an “umbilical cord” between the patient tower and the diagnostics and
treatment building. |
| Small, covered gaps built into both sides of the conservatory to allow the building to move as much
as 16 inches total (8 inches each direction outward). |
| Utility wires neatly coiled to allow for stretching to accommodate wind or earthquake
movement or damage to prevent loss of critical air and energy supplies. |
| Storm water pumping station protects against the cyclical flooding conditions present in downtown
Charleston, pumping floodwater out to the river to maintain access to the facility during inclement weather. |
Infection Control |
| Separate halls within the operating room and procedure portions of the hospital allow patients to
be moved without coming in contact with employees and guests in public hallways. |
| A central sterile corridor allows doctors and nurses to quickly cross between operating rooms during
an emergency. |
| The operating-room ceiling booms provide extra protection against infection because less equipment
is wheeled around or built into the rooms. |
| DuPont Corian surfacing coats operating-room walls and countertops throughout the hospital to reduce the
risk of infection and protect against mold and mildew. |
| All dry wall throughout the facility is mold-resistant. |
| All insulation is paper-free in order to prevent mold and mildew growth. |
| Patient-Centered Design |
| Ashley River Tower was completely designed around creating the best patient experience and to provide easy
navigation throughout the hospital. |
| The first floor has a central check-in area with reception desks on each floor outside the elevators to help direct
patients and their families. |
| Having all aspects of care in one clinical setting leads to healthier patients, allowing nurses and other support staff
to specialize in an area of care. |
| Designated family and visitor spaces are located on each floor of the building. |
Natural Light |
| MUSC made access to natural light a primary design goal, ensuring natural light in patient rooms, corridors
and family gathering areas. |
| Large windows provide an excellent view to provide a pleasant place for patients, families and employees. |
| Windows in family sitting areas and patient rooms provide for a pleasant, spacious environment for visitors. |
| The left side of the patient tower corridor has windows overlooking a view of the Ashley River, providing not only
patients and families but also nurses, doctors and staff with an open view, which is proven to reduce stress and
provide a sense of place. |
| A central conservatory features a full wall of windows to provide an open, welcoming place for families
and employees. |
Flexibility Beyond |
| The design leaves room for what caregivers cannot yet know about the way care will be delivered 10 or 20 years
from now. |
| In the operating room, most equipment is suspended from booms in the ceiling rather than taking up
space on the floor, and making it easier for aging technology to be exchanged for the latest equipment. |
| Similarly, equipment is hidden in patient rooms, allowing extra space to be quick-changed into an intensive
care room in the event of an emergency. |
| Pneumatic tubes shuttle medications and lab specimens between the new facility and other campus facilities. |
Green Inside and Out |
| Corian, which coats operating room walls and countertops throughout the hospital, is certified by the
Greenguard Environmental Institute, providing a complete surfacing system with low-VOC. This system
has been proven to release few if any breathable compounds, ensuring safer air and an odor-free hospital. |
| The flooring is Marmoleum, which is a linseed-based material made of 100 percent natural ingredients. |
| In planning for future hospital expansion, the exterior of the building consists of paneling that is easily
demountable and recyclable. |
| Paper-free insulation systems are installed throughout the building. |
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