June 15, 2007

Leadership meeting focuses on Building for the Third Century

The MGH's planned 530,000-square-foot clinical facility, the Building for the Third Century (B3C), was the focus of the June 12 leadership meeting. Speakers shared information about the new building, slated for completion in 2011, the hospital's bicentennial anniversary.

Rendering of the new building

Jean Elrick, MD, senior vice president for Administration, provided a progress report on the preparation for the demolition of the Clinics, Vincent Burnham Kennedy and Tilton Buildings, as well as background about construction of the B3C. She recognized the thousands of MGHers who have been involved in planning and completing projects surrounding construction of the building. Elrick emphasized that those involved have consistently maintained a focus on the patient and that the B3C will provide new opportunities for the delivery of quality care. She also talked about the last decade of related work, including projects to reorganize the hospital campus using space that opened up with the construction of the Yawkey Center for Outpatient Care and the Richard B. Simches Research Center. She thanked the vast community of employees who have helped to expand and redefine the geographic scope of the MGH campus.

David Hanitchak, director of MGH Planning and Construction and Partners Real Estate project executive, presented renderings of the new building. He described how the main design principles focus on enhancing the patient and clinician experience and providing a modern and technologically sophisticated environment for clinical activities. He also stressed that the B3C was designed to provide a sense of welcome and community within the hospital. Visuals detailed plans for a sleek and modern facility housing an expanded and renovated Emergency Department with a sheltered ambulance entrance; increased space for Radiation Oncology; three floors of operating rooms/procedural space and recovery areas; a new space for the Sterile Processing Department; and five floors of private inpatient rooms. Plans for the building also include three sections of green space — two roof gardens and one large atrium with plants and natural light to filter into patient and staff areas.

To coordinate the construction and logistics related to the B3C, dozens of MGH staff have regularly convened to prepare for projects and examine their impact. Denise S. Palumbo, RN, MSN, executive director of Radiology and director of operations for the B3C, leads the Thrive Team. She described how the group has been planning all aspects of operations so that they are safe and coordinated. Among the key groups of the Thrive Team are the Communication and Wayfinding Committee, the Construction and Impact Team, the Clinical Impact Team and the Traffic and Logistics Team.

Palumbo explained some upcoming priorities such as the completion of construction of the MGH/Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary Connector, Emergency Department access and patient discharge changes, taxi stand relocation and pedestrian and traffic plans. Detailed information about these projects will be highlighted in upcoming issues of MGH Hotline.

For information about the B3C and its related projects, contact Palumbo at (617) 726-1667 or dpalumbo@partners.org.