Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

The new Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center sits on four acres with each of its 10 floors spanning over 100,000 square feet. This totals over 1.23 million square feet to secure, furnish, equip and prepare for use.

"Readying the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center to receive patients poses a tremendous challenge. Coordinating resources and people and making sure that every aspect of the move adheres to plans and regulations without overlooking the smallest details is a huge task," says Jennifer Prag, logistics manager for hospital transition planning.

Security issues underscore each aspect of the installation of furniture and equipment into the new hospital. Rooms need re-keying for secure storage while the loading docks must be protected against unauthorized personnel.

Office furniture installation began January 29 of this year, beginning with the top floor and working down one level every two weeks on average, until completion. Other tightly coordinated tasks will include:

  • Deploying computers within a month
  • Working with contractors to install large equipment
  • Readying areas for specialized equipment — such as radiology devices — for vendor installation
  • Installing patient and examination room furniture
  • Keeping inventory of new equipment currently stored off site
  • Overseeing construction of facilities and small crafts projects

Much of the equipment installation must adhere to seismic regulations, as well. Deliveries and installation occur between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.

 

New Nethercutt Emergency Center at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center and Orthopaedic Hospital (SM-UCLA & OH)

Located on the ground level of the new Southwest Wing on 15th Street — just north of Arizona Avenue — the 16,000-square-foot facility will feature several innovations to help SM-UCLA & OH better meet the needs of the almost 30,000 patients a year who seek emergency care at the present facility.

Dr. Wally Ghurabi, medical director of the emergency center, says that first and foremost among the innovations is an on-site, 64-slice CT scanner that will "revolutionize how emergency patients with vascular symptoms, chest pain or shortness of breath are evaluated and treated." SM-UCLA & OH will be one of only a few hospitals on the West Coast to have an emergency center equipped with this technology, which will minimize patient transport and enable more timely and accurate diagnosis of ailments such as strokes, heart attacks and breathing disorders.

Dr. Ghurabi says the new facility will allow for more efficient and compassionate care, thanks to its updated design featuring a centralized work station, an observation unit where patients can be continuously monitored before being admitted to the hospital or discharged home, and exam rooms that offer better privacy and greater versatility for diagnosis and treatment.

One of the biggest complaints about emergency centers is the long waits while more seriously ill patients are treated first. "In this ER, we will have the capability of providing simultaneous fast-track service to patients with minor injuries and illnesses," he adds.

A new, state-of-the-art laboratory will open before the emergency center and be located in the basement level of the Southwest Wing. The almost 9,000-square-foot lab will feature the latest chemistry, hematology and blood-bank analyzers in a bright, airy and comfortable work environment.

After the new emergency center opens, the current ER will be demolished and construction will begin on the Central Wing, which includes a new main entrance featuring an airport-style drop-off zone for improved hospital access. The Central Wing will connect all of the buildings on the new campus.

Plans call for the new Nethercutt Emergency Center to open first and be ready for occupancy in June 2007.
 
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