New St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Design to Better Serve Southwestern Illinois

By Roxanne Squires

O’FALLON, Ill. — A member of Hospital Sisters Health Systems (HSHS), St. Elizabeth’s Hospital welcomed patients, staff and visitors to its new health and wellness destination in November 2017, with the hospital presently gaining the label as the most technologically advanced medical center in the region. The facility replaces its previous location with a mission to improve services the entirety of the Southwestern Illinois region.

The new 350,000-square-foot hospital’s patient-centered design offers greater space, superior efficiencies and modern aesthetics, using metal ceiling panels to help create the building’s four exterior canopies.

Alberici-Holland, a joint venture of Alberici Corporation of St. Louis and Holland Construction Services of Swansea, Ill., served as the project’s general contractor. Von Alst Operating of Swansea, Ill., later joined the project team in November 2015, bringing its proficiency in specialty metal ceiling systems. Kahler Slater also specified its use of Rockfon Planar Macroplus linear metal ceiling panels with a Metalwood II Bamboo color finish. The finished metal ceiling panels were installed in the exterior canopies on the emergency department, inpatient and departure areas. Also used on the fifth floor, the exterior canopy’s metal ceiling seems to transcend the exterior glass wall with a visually uninterrupted transition to the interior chapel and physical therapy room.

The design provides clinical excellence, quality patient care, as well as Lean-efficient operations while reflecting St. Elizabeth’s 142-year history and faith-based mission.

“We wanted to create a warm, inviting environment throughout St. Elizabeth’s Hospital,” said Dave Sheedy, project leader and principal at Kahler Slater, in a statement. “For the hospital canopies, we wanted the look of wood, but it’s difficult to get natural wood approved as a material that meets the life/safety requirements. Metal is more appropriate for the outdoor environment and noncombustible.”

Sheedy added that Rockfon’s metal panels hold a clipping mechanism that helped meet the hospitals’ Seismic Design Category D requirements. The installed panels then deliver access to the sprinklers, lighting, cameras and the other components integrated within the ceiling and concealed by it.

Substantial construction completion of the hospital was marked in October 2017 while maintaining its budget, with a mission to provide region-leading, top-quality health care. Moreover, the aesthetics of the design ultimately delivers the healing environment they envisioned for their patients.

“Design goals from the start included addressing wellness, systems and integration, and patient and staff experience throughout the facility. We additionally challenged the team to incorporate themes around our patron saint, Saint Elizabeth, and her history of serving the sick and the poor,” said Susan Holloway, RN, BSN, director of construction management for HSHS St. Elizabeth’s Hospital.

The new St. Elizabeth’s hospital also offers an emergency department, state-of-the-art operating rooms, an advanced intensive care unit and inpatient rehabilitation. Further inpatient and outpatient services at the new facility include cancer care, modern birthing suites, telehealth consultations featuring accredited stroke care and award-winning heart care.