Mountain States Health Alliance

Getting into shapeMountain States Health Alliance is busy constructing new capacity and replacing old buildings as it cuts operating costs and improves care and service, Mark Moody tells Ruari McCallion. The new Franklin Woods Community Hospital in Johnson City, Tennessee, is showing the community the shape of things to come from the Mountain States Health Alliance (MHSA). ÔÇ£It isnÔÇÖt a conventional square or rectangular building; itÔÇÖs been designed in a Z-shape, which enables it to both provide the space we need and also preserve the natural environment,ÔÇØ says Mark Moody, senior director of engineering services at Mountain States Health Alliance. Franklin Woods is scheduled to open in 2010 and will replace two existing facilities, North Side Hospital and Johnson City Specialty Hospital. ÔÇ£TheyÔÇÖre both in excess of 30 years old. Franklin Woods will enable us to operate from new and updated facilities and allow us to expand our services to the community, especially technology services. While Franklin Woods will provide many traditional primary and secondary level services, most of the traditional tertiary services will remain in the nearby tertiary facility for the health systemÔÇöJohnson City Medical Center. In areas where it makes sound clinical sense, higher-level services will be a part of the new facility, such as the ability to care for ICU patients, but on a more limited scope. In areas such as OB, Franklin Woods will maintain a well baby nursery but refer infants to the tertiary facility for higher levels of care.ÔÇØ┬á The new facility has been designed from the outset based on 10 guiding principles of a ÔÇ£patient-centered environment.ÔÇØ MSHA prides itself on the quality of its care and its approach to healing the mind, body and spirit. Patient experiences within MSHA facilities are designed to focus on the total personÔÇöpatient and familyÔÇöin the belief that the approach focuses on not just the illness or disease but a lifelong partnership for health. The design and construction of Franklin Woods reflects the thoughtful approach to the healthcare experience.ÔÇ£Franklin Woods has been designed as a LEED-certified ÔÇÿgreen hospitalÔÇÖ from day one,ÔÇØ says Moody. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre shooting for the maximum certification we can get from LEED, although weÔÇÖre currently setting Gold or Silver as the minimum. We want to be the first LEED-certified facility in Tennessee.ÔÇØ MHSA includes 14 hospitals in Tennessee and Virginia. Its origins trace to the foundation of a hospital in Johnson City in 1911 through the Memorial Hospital in Johnson City in the 1940s, and it has expanded significantly over the past 10 years. MSHA took over six Columbia facilities in the region in 1998, which propelled the formation of the regionÔÇÖs leading healthcare system. It includes behavioral health, cardiology, oncology, womenÔÇÖs and childrenÔÇÖs, orthopedic and neurological services in additional to Level One trauma services with hospital-based air ambulances, as well as outreach and primary care services, all of which are provided under the banner of ÔÇ£bringing loving care to healthcareÔÇØÔÇöa reflection of the strong spiritual and emotional values of the region. The southern Appalachian region has a heritage of focusing on a strong sense of community in a picturesque mountain setting. Woodlands and open spaces abound, prompting nature as a key theme in the Franklin Woods design. ÔÇ£We have heavily incorporated the natural environment into our build environment, which is part of the reason for the hospitalÔÇÖs Z-shape,ÔÇØ says Moody. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve preserved the local trees and will keep the hills and gardens that create the almost rustic setting of the site.ÔÇØ The problem with undertaking something unusualÔÇöno matter how pretty and sensitive it may beÔÇöis that project costs can be more heavily weighted during construction. Moody is quite prepared to take issue with that assumption.ÔÇ£It does add costs up front, but the ongoing costs are greatly reduced,ÔÇØ he says. ÔÇ£The hospital is designed to make use of natural light and green products, which makes for a healthier building. ThereÔÇÖs opportunity for the use of storm water for irrigation. Glazing is placed in the appropriate direction to minimize exposure to the sun in summer and maximize it in winter to assist with energy costs.ÔÇØ How does it achieve that, short of mounting the hospital on a turntable and rotating it?ÔÇ£The trees, which we are working so hard to preserve. The sun sets on the west side of the facility, which is where most of the trees are located. They provide shade in the summer, but they drop their leaves in the winter, allowing the hospital to benefit from the softer natural light.ÔÇØ With so much sun available, it would seem to be a great opportunity to hook up to alternative power sourcesÔÇöphotovoltaic and solar thermal, specifically. Unfortunately, the sun isnÔÇÖt quite strong enough to run the systems the hospital needs. Instead, power consumption is minimized through focusing on effective usage and elimination of waste.ÔÇ£The building will be efficient,ÔÇØ Moody says. ÔÇ£The roof minimizes heat gain, for example. We have a ÔÇÿsmartÔÇÖ building control system provided by Johnson Controls, one of our technical partners. ItÔÇÖs highly automated, with sections that shut down automatically when theyÔÇÖre not occupied, and then come back on in the morning when theyÔÇÖre needed. We donÔÇÖt have to rely on the human element to optimize efficiency; weÔÇÖve designed the processes into the facility for long-term operational efficiency.ÔÇØFranklin Woods isnÔÇÖt the only major project in which the MSHA team is involved. It is approaching the design stage of a replacement for another MSHA facility, Smyth County Community Hospital in Virginia, which will be a 57-bed primary care hospital. The site has been selected, and contractors and architects will follow soon. Significant investments are being undertaken by the health system in new construction; Smyth County is budgeted at $70 million, and Franklin Woods will cost around $122 million by the time itÔÇÖs finished. A clear message is being delivered to the communities of the region, in that MSHA is concerned about the community and is widely investing its resources in technology and facilities for the benefit of the community.ÔÇ£I and everyone involved are very proud of what weÔÇÖre achieving. We believe we are accomplishing the major goals we set,ÔÇØ says Moody. ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre building a tremendous community facility, offering a broad range of services in a natural environment that is conducive to healing of the body, mind and spirit. We believe that healing cannot exist without caring, and caring begins with an environment for patients and families.ÔÇØ┬á