Innovative short-stay observation unit opening at M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital enhances patient care and efficiency
Crowding and capacity constraints continue to stress hospitals nationwide as the number of patients seeking care increases, and the ability to discharge them to more appropriate levels of care decreases.
Teams at M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood have tirelessly confronted this challenge, facing a 5 percent rise in inpatient visits and a staggering 12 percent increase in ED visits since 2022. With limited space, and a commitment to improve patient care while visits are only expected to grow, St. John’s staff improved patient flow by expanding the emergency department, reorganizing existing services and – now – opening a new, purpose-built “short-stay and observation unit.”
To avoid conventional construction disruptions on an already strained emergency department operating above capacity, the teams at St. John’s Hospital looked for innovative solutions. The breakthrough? Using pre-fabrication construction techniques in collaboration with construction firm The Boldt Company, and interdisciplinary design firm, HGA. The 16-bed observation unit was built to over 90 percent completion offsite in Appleton, Wisc., then seamlessly transported and installed on the St. John’s Hospital campus – the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota.
The short-stay and observation unit embodies M Health Fairview’s commitment to exceptional healthcare by rethinking how teams work together to serve patients, no matter the circumstances.
"In the face of escalating patient visits, our ED and inpatient medicine teams have been proactive and innovative in their response,” said Will Nicholson, MD, vice president of medical affairs for M Health Fairview St. John’s, Woodwinds, and Bethesda Hospitals. “This approach is a game-changer. It allows us to rapidly develop the needed space without impeding current operations.”
Construction of the unit began offsite in September 2023. Crews delivered the prefabricated unit to St. John’s in late November, and teams completed final construction and furnishing.
“We’re facing a very real need for patient bed space in our country right now.” said David Thomack, chief operating officer with Boldt. “Every day that is spent in planning, design or construction is another day that hospitals and patients must do without those beds. Using a modular approach, we’re delivering that space in half the time traditional construction would take, without sacrificing durability, quality or affordability, allowing healthcare providers to see patients months sooner.”
Benefits of a short-stay observation unit
- Enhanced Patient Experience: Patients will benefit from a purposefully designed environment focused on comfort, mobility, and flexible care capabilities that are conducive to recovery and observation.
- Efficient Resource Utilization: More flexible patient flow will optimize hospital resources, reducing wait times, and ensuring prompt access to necessary medical interventions in a setting aligned to the complexity of care required.
Benefits of modular design and construction
- 50 percent shorter design and construction schedule
A modular design and construction approach allowed the hospital to leverage a consistent building design, based on industry best practices and research, along with off-site fabrication, to effectively cut the schedule in half compared to traditional construction, enabling St. John’s to start treating patients up to eight months sooner. - Predictability of cost and schedule
Unlike traditional construction, where supply chain issues, labor shortages, and weather conditions can introduce volatility into construction costs and schedules, modular construction is predictable and controlled. Supply chains and skilled labor forces are consistent from project to project, removing unknown variables from the equation, and because construction occurs inside of a prefabrication facility, weather is similarly eliminated as a factor. - Higher quality construction
The modules are constructed with a steel-framed chassis, giving them greater strength and durability than wood-framed construction. Each module of the building is rigorously inspected for quality prior to leaving the production facility, eliminating defects and waste that can adversely affect construction schedules and cost. - A safer, less intrusive construction site
Off-site fabrication means a significantly smaller construction footprint on the hospital campus; fewer workers, less space needed, and shorter construction durations. This not only equates to a safer experience for patients and staff, but for construction workers as well, as fewer workers are needed on site, and most of the work is done in controlled, factory-like conditions.
