Baylor McKinney Opens with Design for Operational Efficiency

Baylor Medical Center at McKinney recently opened its doors and turned a page on patient room design. The facility’s wedge-shaped patient rooms were designed by RTKL to satisfy Baylor Health Care System’s desire for a new market hospital in fast-growing McKinney, Texas, located 30 miles north of Dallas. The medical center was built by MEDCO Construction.

Through observation and research, RTKL’s design approach was influenced by the combination of Baylor’s mission and the desire for operational efficiencies. The result is a 469,000-square-foot hospital with a uniquely curved bed tower and a 117,000-square-foot medical office building on the 52-acre campus.

The arced wings of the bed tower stem from the wedge-shaped patient rooms — broader at the doorway to accommodate a safer, wider opening and toilet. When arrayed, the arced “wings” or “pods” allow for maximum efficiency and flexibility. Each pod of 16 beds is arrayed to provide optimum visibility between patient rooms, nursing teams and the centralized control station. All room entries in a pod can be viewed from the central control station. Additionally, adjacent pods have direct visibility from one control station to another. Each pod has its own supplies and support spaces, which reduces the travel distance for nursing staff and allows nursing teams to spend more time bedside.

Consequently, each 48-bed unit allows for maximum staffing flexibility since each floor can function as a 48-bed unit or any combination of 32- or 16-bed pods. In short, the physical layout allows for customized units and contributes to successful nurse staffing.

Innovations for daylighting were also incorporated into all public spaces and specifically in staff areas, such as bed units, to enhance productivity. All public and waiting areas are situated on the outer edge of the building, surrounding the clinical areas and thus limiting access to restricted areas. Patient and staff spaces are clearly delineated.

Throughout, the design enhances operational efficiencies and creates a healing atmosphere, ultimately satisfying Baylor’s desire for a superior patient experience.