Technology, innovation and expertise continue to transform patient experiences at the area's Top 100 Hospital

Riverside Healthcare opened the East Tower in 2011 with the promise and realization of transforming healthcare. Now, in 2017, as Riverside completes the capstone project of the East Tower and opens the all-private room 5th floor, it does so again with state-of-the-art technology and advances in the healthcare teams' processes and protocols that take health care and patient experiences to new levels.

"With the opening of the 5th floor of the East Tower, we have again made sure we are bringing patients the latest in technology and the most advanced methods to provide quality care," said Phil Kambic, president and CEO of Riverside Healthcare. "By integrating these aspects along with the expertise that our health care teams provide, we help to ensure patients are receiving the best possible care."

The East Tower 5th Floor was planned to provide the most effective and efficient use of the space for optimal patient care, healthcare team collaboration and responsiveness, featuring two central nursing stations, additional nurse substations, multiple medication and nutrition rooms and team renewal space. One of the most important reasons for the 5th-floor completion is a focus on providing patients with private rooms.

Riverside's new East Tower 5th Floor features 42 patient-centered private rooms in 33,000 square feet of space. These private rooms will accommodate orthopedic patients and neurological patients, as well as medical and surgical patients. The rooms average at more than 325 square feet in size, a feature that helps in the healing process. Research shows patients in single-occupancy rooms large enough to accommodate family members - as is the case in the East Tower - fare better since social contact with one's support system reduces stress and can improve patient health. Patients in private rooms are also at lower risk for hospital-acquired infections.

Another innovative aspect of the East Tower's 5th Floor is MyChart Bedside. Riverside's MyChart Bedside is a mobile tablet-based technology designed to enhance the inpatient experience. Using easy 'touchscreen' prompts through a secure iPad, patients and their families can access a wealth of information and educational resources.

Through MyChart Bedside, patients and families can review:

• Information about the Care Team
• Vital signs and lab results
• Daily schedules
• Medications
• Educational features including videos, links and briefs personalized to specific treatments or conditions
• Notes feature to reference during care team rounding
• Discharge instructions
• Integrates with MyChart records after your stay

MyChart Bedside has been shown to help patients better understand their medications, follow their daily schedules, and communicate more efficiently with their care teams.

As Riverside continues to develop ways to improve patients' experiences and advance patient safety, the Omnicell Medication Dispensing System will be introduced on the 5th floor. This system offers the exclusive "Anywhere RN" feature allowing nurses to queue up needed medications at patient's bedside, nurses station or Omincell dispensing unit. The system eliminates wait times, reduces medication waste, and helps with inventory control. However, most importantly for nursing teams, Omnicell makes for more efficient workflows and eliminates unnecessary steps while reducing the potential for medication errors. It also provides nurses with more time to provide excellent care to their patients for increased satisfaction.

Technology plays an essential role in communication for both patients and healthcare teams. The 5th floor's nurse call system provides detailed information to nursing stations allowing for improved nurse responsiveness to a variety of patient needs including requests for water, toileting, requests for assistance with pain management or assistance if a patient has exited the bed presenting a potential fall risk.

Accommodations have been made throughout the 5th floor for a variety of patient needs including four negative pressure isolation rooms. These rooms are commonly used for patients with airborne infections. The specially designed rooms have air handling units that allow for better control of airborne contaminants creating a safer atmosphere for patients and hospital staff.

Additionally, Riverside has added two specially designed Bariatric Rooms. Equipped for patients requiring mobility and care assistance, these rooms provide patient experiences focused on safety, dignity and respect by incorporating larger, sturdier beds, wheelchairs and other equipment. The rooms feature motorized lifts that can accommodate patients up to 1,000 lbs. These lifts run along ceiling-mounted tracks and incorporate a hammock-like sling to more easily and safely lift and transport patients. This makes for safer experiences for both patients and staff.

Technology and innovation in healthcare practices are at their best when they bring people together, and at Riverside, one of our primary strengths is the communication between the members of our healthcare teams, our patients and their families. The innovations being put into place on the 5th floor of the East Tower will help Riverside to continue to elevate our quality and safety and allow our staff to continually dedicate themselves to providing remarkable experiences for each patient every day.

The $11 million project for the 5th floor' incorporated 3D/2D modeling and Lean building processes resulting in efficient, accelerated completion of the 33,000 square foot space in just under 17 months from planning to completion. Michuda Construction served as general contractor working with the East Tower architect Jensen & Halstead and many local subcontractors familiar with working on the project including: Piggush Simoneau Inc., Glade Plumbing & Piping, MATCO Fire Protection, Bourbon Tile & Marble, Ruder Electric, Paragon Millwork & Casework, Ascher Bros., Commercial Glazing, CSI, Counterfitters and others.