Earlier this year, the University of Virginia Health System continued a rich tradition of innovation coupled with community service by completing an extensive renovation of its Children’s Hospital and Women’s Health floors at UVA Medical Center. The facility is a 600-bed teaching hospital that serves as the Regional Perinatal Center for Northwest and Central Virginia and is home to 6 ranked Pediatric programs by US News and World Report.

With the goal of improving its function, usefulness and appearance, this 58,000-sq.-ft. interior renovation project was a complex, three-year endeavor. DPR Construction, general contractor for the project, worked with architect HKS, Inc. to navigate the challenges of renovating this key area of the hospital, which remained operational throughout construction while prioritizing the safety of its patients. Since the renovations encompassed roughly half of the 7^th floor and nearly as much of the 8^th, it was necessary for the team to take a well-coordinated approach to design implementation, a process that was carried out in five phases. Robust communication between the teams and the Medical Center was vital to ensure this was a smooth process.

Fifteen post-partum rooms, several of which look out onto nearby Carter Mountain, were updated to make them more convenient and comfortable for new moms and their loved ones. Bathrooms and facilities were refreshed, and outdated furniture was replaced with more comfortable, updated pieces.

“The space really needed to be refreshed and updated from the 1980s,” said Dr. Christian Chisholm, UVA Health System Obstetrics Medical Director. Not only did the renovation deliver a cleaner look, it also improved hospital workflow. The medication area was expanded, making it easier for nurses to prepare medications. And with the renovated rooms being adjacent to the hospital’s delivery rooms, new moms are no longer required to switch floors after giving birth. There is also a central area from which nurses will monitor post-partum rooms, resulting in more privacy for patients and a more seamless process for hospital staff.

Included in the renovation was the 14-bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), which admits about 1,000 children each year and is one of the Southeast’s top referral centers. The project also featured a 4-bed pediatric bone marrow transplant unit (BMT), a 34-bed acute pediatric unit with both private and semi-private rooms, a new continuing care nursery and procedure area, women’s health triage and family waiting areas. To maintain continuity, the team incorporated the established Children’s Hospital graphics, finishes, theme, and millwork into the existing Level 7 West and Central Units and Level 8 East and Central patient units.

With a resolve to move ever forward, UVA Health System’s Women’s Health and Children’s Hospital renovation lives up to its community’s ideals of innovation in service to its people.