To accommodate an almost 70 percent increase in cancer-patient clinic visits over the last two years, Regions Hospital, serving eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin, worked with architects Hammel, Green and Abrahamson Inc. (HGA) to create a facility that provides private, dignified, and personal care for patients. “Cancer patients endure incredible stress and a wide range of emotions in addition to the physical discomfort and side effects of treatment,” says HGA’s Amy Douma, Assoc. AIA, the project architect who worked with Regions. “Our goal was to design a place that offered convenience and confidentiality through an attention to detail.”

At 9,000 square feet, the comprehensive Cancer Care Center is three times the size of its predecessor and includes multidisciplinary preventative, diagnostic, and treatment services.

The one-story center provides medical oncology clinic space, chemotherapy treatment area, blood-draw laboratory, in-house pharmacy, and space for patient education and support groups. So that patients can easily access the services they need, all treatment sections are accessible from a central waiting area and entry. The chemotherapy area and oncology clinic adjoin to provide seamless, coordinated treatment. Those patients undergoing radiation therapy have direct access to treatment coordinators, who have offices near the waiting area. To minimize patient waiting time, HGA designed a new specialized chemotherapy pharmacy adjacent to the treatment space.

Spaces support emotional and psychological needs
HGA also created program space that addresses patients’ psychological and emotional needs by facilitating activities such as support groups. The center includes the 400-square-foot Patricia D. Lundborg Library, with entrances from a public corridor as well as the cancer center’s waiting area. The welcoming library, which offers books, videos, DVDs, and two computer stations for Internet research, offers homelike cherry cabinetry, adjustable lighting, and large stuffed chairs.

While the waiting areas are open and inviting, patients maintain their privacy and are concealed from public view through selective use of glass. The reception desk’s tall wood creates a concealed space for patients checking in or out. The feeling of privacy continues into the treatment areas: Two consult rooms, away from the activity of the seven exam rooms, provide a soothing environment for discussions between patients and physicians, social workers, or other staff. HGA positioned the chemotherapy treatment area on the south side of the center so patients could enjoy natural light from nearby atrium windows. The space offers patients the choice of 5 enclosed treatment rooms for rest and reflection or 10 open treatment stations, 5 of which cluster around a ceiling-mounted TV. The remaining five form a “living room with mingling space” to foster camaraderie. Chemotherapy stations are also wired to support the use of laptop computers.

In all, HGA wanted to create a comfortable contrast to the sterile atmosphere often found in health-care settings. They carefully selected the interior finishes, employing the natural and warm look and feel of wood in paneling and furniture. A vibrant purple wall adds a splash of color and ties in the artwork of a lively market scene, while in the treatment areas, vivid colors and floor patterns enliven the space. HGA used curving walls to casually define spaces, giving the center a soft, non-clinical look. Finally, throughout the center, the architects designed lighting that maximizes patient comfort by minimizing glare for reclining patients and utilizing indirect fixtures for subtle, soothing effects.

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