PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center sought to relocate its adult behavioral health facility while minimizing hospital interruptions and continuing to provide excellent care. The new inpatient unit strengthens connections to critical services while offering privacy and a safe place for people to heal from trauma.
Rather than renovating within the hospital, we created a new 26,000 square foot, 35 bed behavioral health inpatient facility by infilling a level 1 parking structure within an occupied medical office building. Located close to the emergency room, the unit supports efficient patient transport and provides two different levels of safety based on individual needs. Throughout, the interior design balances necessary security with a healthy, home-like setting, so patients feel safe without feeling confined in a guarded institution.
Because many rooms face the street, the design emphasizes natural light and privacy in equal measure. Each patient room includes a bathroom with a half wall that supports observation while preserving dignity. Door vision panels and exterior curtains allow staff to check on patients while shielding patients from passersby. Every element was reviewed through a safety lens, including details like window blinds placed between panes of glass to prevent opportunities for harm.
Warm wood-grain flooring, neutral soothing colors, dimmable lighting, soft furniture, and galleries of patient artwork make spaces feel comfortable and welcoming. Day rooms open to a secure outdoor area where patients can safely go outside, and each patient room includes a garden in the space between the window and frosted glass panels. Skylights in day rooms further flood the interior with daylight, reinforcing a calm rhythm throughout the day.
The plan supports staff as well as patients. Flexible barriers allow patient separation when needed and adjust to the flow of new arrivals, while a centrally located nurse station helps staff support one another quickly. Public rooms accommodate judges and other visitors while maintaining privacy for everyone, and clear sightlines eliminate blind corridors so staff and patients can always be seen. A comprehensive set of support spaces, including a warming kitchen, quiet room, activity room for art therapy and crafts, and a library, round out an environment designed for safety, dignity, and healing.
