Waupun Memorial Hospital Announces Addition And Improvements

Waupun Memorial Hospital’s commitment to the patients and families it serves will be further evidenced with the development of new private patient rooms at the West Brown Street facility. This $23 million addition is scheduled to get underway in April 2016 with the first private rooms available to patients in fall 2017.

The project involves constructing a two-story, 52,775-square-foot addition on north side of Waupun Memorial Hospital, facing Main Street. Work is expected to begin as the hospital’s helipad is relocated and the previous Waupun Area Clinic is demolished. Other foundation work will begin at the same time.

Patient services will be featured on the second floor, while the first floor will be utilized for some support services, like the loading dock and access to the helipad. The remainder will be left unfinished for future growth needs yet to be identified.

When complete, the new patient building will feature 21 inpatient rooms – 15 medical/surgical rooms, three intensive care unit (ICU) rooms (including one that can function as an ICU or medical/surgical room, depending on patients’ needs), and three labor/delivery/recovery and postpartum rooms that feature a sleeping couch and space for family to spread out.

“While our existing patient rooms have served us well since we first opened in 1951,” says DeAnn Thurmer, Waupun Memorial Hospital chief operating officer, “we are looking forward to enhancing the overall patient and family experience through new private rooms and state-of-the-art technology.”

Each room will feature space for family members, as well as a 42-inch interactive television to view patient education materials, and high-tech connections to nursing and medical staff. They will also be able to access the Internet, play games and watch television. Healthcare professionals will be identified when entering a room using new name badge technology that displays the professional’s name and title on the television.

“From a technology perspective, Waupun Memorial Hospital will be offering the latest and greatest – all which will greatly benefit our caregivers and more importantly our patients,” Thurmer adds. “Technology is evident in each room, with much of the inner workings hidden behind cabinetry – even inside the bed.”

Upgraded beds are wired for a host of diagnostic bedside exams, as well as for access to computers. Medical charts are now a state-of-the art computer system linked to the nurse call center and phone system for two-way communication. In the new rooms, medical charting will consist of a stationary computer monitor and keyboard.

“Patient safety is one of the most significant, in addition to technologies that enhance the communication we have when providing patient care,” according to Thurmer.

From a safety perspective, rooms will be larger and have wider doorways for wheelchair accessibility. Grab bars mounted on walls will help patients navigate safely. Associates will safely move patients using an overhead lift concealed behind sleek cabinets. Bathrooms will be larger, featuring custom tile and generous shower stalls.

The need to enhance the comfort, calmness and privacy of hospital patients was the driving force behind the private room initiative, according to Jill Wenzel, director of Inpatient Services at Waupun Memorial Hospital explains.

“We want the patient and family to be as comfortable as possible. Our goal is to keep the family at the bedside, as much as they’d like,” Wenzel says. “They’re there to spend time with their loved one, not to spend time in a waiting room.”

Beautiful wood cabinetry rivals that of a custom-built kitchen, giving the room a modern, home-like feel. Extra chairs for guests and even the waste baskets are concealed inside cabinet doors for a neat, uncluttered look.

The hospital’s new labor and delivery rooms allow ample family space adjacent to the patient bed, offer a whirlpool tub for comfort and relaxation, prioritize mom and baby safety (unit will be locked 24 hours a day), and provide opportunities for patients to remain in the same room for their entire stay.

A rehab gym in the medical/surgical area will make this service more accessible as individuals stay in the hospital for care.

“When you are sick and at your most vulnerable, the peace and quiet of your own room can make a difference in your recovery,” Wenzel says. “In a single-patient room, family members can come and go without worrying about disturbing other patients; families and friends help provide emotional support for patients to reduce anxiety and get better.”

Zimmerman Architectural Studios, Inc. is serving as the architect for the project; with CD Smith Construction as general contractor.

Patient Room.