Photo: Last spring, UChicago Medicine opened its newest micro-hospital, the UChicago Medicine Crown Point, in Crown Point, Ind. | Photo Credit (all): Perkins&Will
By Ryan Ramsey
Undergoing intensive medical treatment is challenging enough without the added burden of traveling long distances to reach a major hospital. Yet for many patients in rural and exurban communities, commuting an hour or more is often the only option for accessing specialized care. To address this gap in healthcare access, providers across the U.S. are turning to micro-hospitals—an emerging solution designed for underserved areas.
Smaller than full-service hospitals but more comprehensive than standalone emergency rooms, micro-hospitals are fully accredited facilities that operate 24/7. One- to two-story buildings that range between 20,000 and 50,000 square feet, these facilities typically include an emergency department, several inpatient beds and a variety of outpatient services. For comparison, the next tier of small-scale hospitals, Critical Access Hospitals, are limited to 25 inpatient beds and must be in rural areas at least 35 miles from another hospital.
Why Build a Micro-Hospital?
Micro-hospitals are becoming increasingly popular across the country and for good reason. As more people move away from major cities in search of a more affordable, high-quality lifestyle, especially with the rise of remote work, there’s growing demand for accessible healthcare in smaller communities. Micro-hospitals are helping meet that need. These facilities are designed to handle both inpatient and emergency care, creating a network that not only expands access but also supports community growth and eases the strain of traveling long distances for specialized treatment.
That said, building and operating a micro-hospital isn’t without its challenges. From finding the right location to securing funding, there are a lot of moving pieces. One of the biggest hurdles is staffing. Running a 24/7 emergency care facility on a smaller scale requires a different approach, one that’s efficient and sustainable. A common solution is the use of cross-trained teams, often supported by third-party partners who specialize in staffing inpatient and emergency departments. This model helps reduce costs, allows for more flexible operations and is well-suited for the smaller footprint of micro-hospitals.
UChicago Medicine Crown Point Micro-Hospital
Last spring, UChicago Medicine opened its newest micro-hospital, the UChicago Medicine Crown Point, in Crown Point, Ind. The facility’s primary objective was to consolidate the small clinics UChicago Medicine had operated in Northwest Indiana for more than15 years into a single, comprehensive cancer and outpatient specialty center.
The decision to open the first freestanding facility in Indiana stemmed from the fact that about 15% of patients in Northwest Indiana seek medical care outside the region, with one-fifth of them choosing UChicago Medicine’s facilities in Chicago. Recognizing this demand, Tom Jackiewicz, president of the University of Chicago Medical Center, emphasized the importance of expanding the center to accommodate future growth. The resulting Crown Point center is designed to handle 110,000 patient visits annually and generate more than 150 high-paying jobs, making it a key player in enhancing local access to top-tier healthcare and positioning the city as a healthcare hub.
The design team focused on creating a patient-centered experience that reinforced UChicago Medicine’s identity and mission. The two-story, 132,000-square-foot structure is welcoming and community-oriented, featuring a double-height entry that leads to key areas such as imaging, ambulatory surgery and the cancer center. The second floor houses medical offices, support spaces and additional space for future expansion. The eight-bed emergency department, located near the main entrance, includes its own entrance and waiting area for added convenience.
In keeping with UChicago Medicine’s commitment to the patient experience, the design emphasizes dignity, individuality and state-of-the-art technology. Upon entering the light-filled Patient Pavilion, patients are immediately greeted by wood paneling and a limestone-clad central elevator bank, followed by public spaces such as waiting areas and department entrances that offer views to the outside. The use of intimate, personal-scale designs in each patient-care area creates a welcoming atmosphere. Each department is also color-coded, making way-finding intuitive and clear. This visual coherence between the building’s entry and departments fosters an inviting and hopeful environment.
Project Delivery
Like many healthcare projects today, which are navigating rising costs and global inflation, speed to market and delivery methods were key drivers for the UChicago Medicine micro-hospital. The project achieved an exceptional pace from concept to completion. Awarded in June 2021, it moved quickly from inception to groundbreaking just one year later, in June 2022, thanks to a strategic partnership with healthcare real estate developer Pacific Medical Buildings. With 18 months dedicated to construction, the facility achieved occupancy within 33 months, including time for entitlements and land acquisition.
The design approach, which focused on using readily available materials, streamlined the procurement and construction process, improving overall efficiency. Close collaboration with the contractor allowed for real-time cost assessments and material procurement partnerships, which helped minimize delays. The design also considered the challenges of hyper-inflation, anticipating market fluctuations and reinforcing the project’s resilience against economic uncertainties.
Future Trends
Looking ahead, micro-hospitals offer a promising model for making healthcare more accessible and supporting community growth. Successful site selection, driven by thorough market research and supported by a 5-to-10-year business plan, is essential for long-term viability. It’s equally important to keep an open mind to evolving technologies and AI in healthcare delivery and partnering with design and construction teams that embrace innovation. As these facilities will serve communities for the next three decades and beyond, it’s important to consider how the patient experience will evolve and adapt to future needs.
Ryan Ramsey is a senior medical planner at Perkins&Will, who specializes in design strategies that increase access to healthcare through new developments such as micro-hospitals.
