Case Study: How Comprehensive Planning Revolutionized Spencer Hospital’s Emergency Department
The design of healthcare facilities plays a pivotal role in operational efficiency, staff satisfaction, and, most importantly, the quality of patient care. At CMBA Architects, we’re driven to design environments that foster healing for patients and deliver supportive spaces for staff. By designing with a people-first approach, we stay at the cutting edge of healthcare design and can give back to the people and communities we serve.
One of the ways we’re working to revolutionize healthcare design is by assisting our clients with master planning, where our team maps out flexible, long-term plans that consider technological advances, evolving industry trends, and shifting demographics. A comprehensive master plan keeps healthcare facilities agile, allowing them to respond effectively to immediate needs while strategically planning for future changes.
Spencer Hospital’s emergency department, located in Spencer, Iowa, collaborated with CMBA Architects on redeveloping its master plan. CMBA worked with Spencer Hospital to develop a plan that not only improved departmental needs and patient privacy but also enhanced the emergency department's operational efficiency and accessibility.
Where they were:
An emergency department isn’t very helpful if you can’t find it when you’re in an emergency. The department sat opposite a well-traveled street and was difficult to spot. Spencer Hospital needed its emergency department to be centrally located, visible, and accessible to all.
What happens at the emergency department, stays at the emergency department. The department needed to improve privacy for its patients for the sake of both the provider and the patient.
Saving lives is risky business – safety must always come first. To care for their community, an emergency department must care for its staff. The department needed to build safety features into its strategy to minimize risk for its staff.
Our solutions:
The first thing CMBA looked to solve was the location of the emergency department. It needed to be in a more visible, centrally located, and accessible spot. The master plan moved the department to the opposite side and integrated striking signage, helping wayfinding and positioning the department for all to see.
Once the location was decided on, integrating design that prioritized patient and staff privacy was the next focus. CMBA integrated an on- and off-stage design for patients and staff to streamline care and allow what should be private to remain private. Providers have a designated section in the middle unseen by the patient, keeping the experience private and streamlined. Rooms have a door for the patient and the provider to avoid patients entering this designated section. This also cuts down on reaction times, as providers can easily react when a situation arises. In addition to this style of layout, a triage room was added to assess patients as they come in and filter the appropriate care quickly, further enhancing the quality of patient care and efficiency of the department.
Lastly, CMBA integrated features into the design to prevent situations from escalating and provide a safety net for providers. Two behavioral holding rooms with retractable doors, hiding all potentially dangerous equipment, were included in the plan. These rooms serve as backups and help provide a safe spot for providers to take care of those who may be at risk.
What we learned:
Supporting healthcare providers is key to providing great care. By creating a master plan that meets a healthcare facility’s goals, like Spencer Hospital’s goal of improving departmental needs, patient privacy, efficiency, and quality of patient care, CMBA Architects is helping create better access to care in communities across the Midwest.
Spencer Hospital’s new emergency department is set to open in August of 2025, marking the first major milestone in bringing its new master plan to life.
With offices throughout Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota, CMBA is committed to partnering with hospitals and health systems to shape environments that support the future of healthcare.
Our mission is to create healing environments that prioritize safety, comfort, and well-being by supporting patients, empowering staff, engaging communities and inspiring innovation through creativity and compassion.