01 Apr The Future of Healthcare Has Arrived

Posted at 20:49h in Healthcare by Admin

Project: Boston-Out-Patient Surgical Suites (BOSS)

71 Border Rd,
Waltham, MA
https://bostonoutpatient.com/

Waltham, MA is known as a center of innovation for several market sectors including technology and life sciences. It is also home to an orthopedic health center of excellence, which now represents the future of healthcare delivery.

The project is the vision of Dr. Brian McKeon a renowned Board-certified orthopedic surgeon and former Chief Medical Officer and Head Team Physician for the Boston Celtics. He envisioned a physician-designed orthopedic center that unifies office/exam space, an Ambulatory Surgical Center, and common patient diagnostic and rehabilitation services within a single facility.

The result is the new home of the Boston-Out-Patient Surgical Suites (BOSS), a 3-story structure over three levels of parking. The facility also includes large exam suites for Boston Orthopedic & Spine (BOS) and Boston Bone & Joint Institute (BBJI). All three organizations are known for excellence in orthopedic wellness. Jonathan Shaker, Executive Director of the Boston Bone & Joint Institute, a major contributor to the design and planning of the project stated, “This project empowers physicians to control their own destiny by creating a space designed by physicians, for physicians.”

A physician-led project of this size is an example of a growing trend in healthcare delivery, highlighting a shift away from hospital-based services and toward an establishment that has a more retail feel and setting. As such, it has a significant impact on how physician practices can recruit providers and expand services with Jonathan stating that “The new building gives us the freedom to grow thoughtfully, serve patients more efficiently, and build the kind of practice environment we believe our community deserves.”

The facility is a massive undertaking for all parties with the potential for unlimited positive results from an investment perspective but also for staff and patient experience. Jonathan also noted “This building is more than real estate for us; it is a long-term investment in clinical quality, staff culture, and independence.” The interior layout of spaces and thoughtful interplay of finishes was part of a robust design process where end users and the design team collaborated to ensure the end result reflected the original vision of fostering staff culture and ensuring a positive patient experience.

To achieve such high expectations the design approach is focused on a hospitality aesthetic yet emphasizes a timeless approach to finishes while ensuring that all clinical requirements are met. Matthew Bluette, Director of Healthcare for CUBE 3 architects led the design team for the interior fit out of the building. He stated, “With the facility needing to be experienced like a hospitality building but, in some areas, perform like a hospital, a project like this possesses challenges.” The building incorporates state of the art healthcare technologies that need to integrate with the hospitality approach. He noted that it was the collaboration between all parties involved that helped them achieve a balance between creating a non-clinical feel while accommodating the most intensive of clinical functions and equipment.

LeighAnn Huml, CEO of BOS, was also a significant contributor to the design process. Now that the building is open, she has observed that, “Patients comment daily how much they love our suite. They love the color scheme, cleanliness, efficiency, and find the flow to be very appealing.” LeighAnn also noted the importance of the new building in physician recruitment and the future growth of BOS stating, “We have had multiple physicians and administrators express interest in working in our new building. The location is ideal for many, and people love the new clean look.”

Matthew Bluette believes that this type of physician focused approach to new clinical facilities is the future for healthcare delivery noting, “With regulations on where surgical procedures can be performed and the high cost of hospital based construction there will be a continued emphasis on provider led projects and a large shift of healthcare delivery moving to the patient into retail and office locations.”

Greg DeConciliis, Administrator of BOSS confirms this new direction stating, “BOSS, which opened in 2004 at another location, had an initial footprint intended for maximal clinical throughput in an efficient setting.” He went on to say, “Our new site incorporates several shifts we’ve seen in the surgical landscape today, including an influx of higher-acuity cases, such as spine procedures and total joint replacements to the outpatient setting. We needed to incorporate all the requirements that allow us to perform these procedures, while also strategically incorporating a focus on the hospitality side of our business. Patients and their families want to ensure they have amenities to utilize during procedures with longer recovery times, and also value privacy and pre- and post-op care and education.”