State-of-the-art surgical suite and enhancements
Bryn Mawr Hospital has a legacy of surgical excellence across a wide variety of disciplines including general surgery, orthopaedics, spine, otolaryngology, urology and surgical oncology (breast, lung, urology and more). Our well-established program, that has for years attracted surgeons and surgical support staff at the top of their fields, is now being enhanced through the creation of an all-new surgical suite. With enough operating rooms to run the length of a football field, these new surgical facilities will meet contemporary standards for a high-tech, high-touch care environment with family-focused health care front of mind.
Why build new?
With advances in technology such as robotic-assisted surgeries and minimally invasive laparoscopic equipment, retrofitting our current surgical department was not feasible. The creation of an entirely new space has allowed our multidisciplinary team to design and customize the space using national best practices in the surgical field. Our new 600-square-foot surgical space makes room for the patient, surgical team, and devices all in one space. The new facility also allows us to unite our currently separate inpatient and outpatient surgical departments into a single suite, creating operational flexibilities and efficiencies as well as improving communication and coordination among our surgical teams.
Lastly, this new construction gives us the opportunity to relocate the surgery suites to a more accessible location with greater ease of use. Patients will have a single destination for surgery registration, pre-op, procedure and recovery, just a few steps from the hospital’s main entrance. Families can wait for their loved ones in a more convenient and open area with easy access to a café and the gift shop. The ground floor location means we can ensure a private post-surgery patient exit, separate from the public and directly connected to our Warden Lobby valet services.
Features of the new surgical suite at Bryn Mawr Hospital
Surgery reception, registration, and a family waiting area will be located in the new Pavilion Atrium, directly accessible from the hospital’s main entrance/Warden Lobby. In addition, the new surgical suites will feature:
- 12 operating rooms with an additional “shelled” OR which can be used as a hybrid operating room allowing for easy conversion of cases
- Pre/postoperative unit featuring 17 private patient rooms with space to comfortably accommodate family members at the patient’s bedside
- Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) with 20 recovery bays, a private room for patients requiring isolation, and two specialized rooms for pediatric patient recovery
- Consultation rooms for family meetings
- Staff support and work areas (additional surgical support services— including a large meeting space for staff education purposes—occupy the entire basement level of the Pavilion)
A real-time monitor that protects patient identity will give family members the ability to track their loved one’s phase of care along the continuum of perioperative services— from pre-op, through surgery, to recovery post-op and hospital room assignment.
Careful consideration has been given to design so that natural light is maximized in all possible areas including patient transport routes and recovery areas.
Advanced operating rooms
Equipment previously brought into the OR on rolling carts will be suspended from the ceiling, leaving more open space for surgical teams, reducing clutter, improving safety and infection control, and enhancing functionality. All of the ORs are multi-use and can support the full spectrum of surgical procedures. They will also feature:
- State-of-the-art monitors, providing surgical teams with superior views of the surgical field, as well as preoperative imaging and scans
- In-room cameras that transmit a live video feed of procedures for educational purposes
In addition, this direct observation capability enables the surgical control desk to follow the procedure’s progress without having to disrupt staff by calling into the operating room for status updates.