Pebble Partner Project Descriptions
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Weill Cornell Medical College Physician Organization
New York, NY
www.med.cornell.edu

Opened in 2006, the 13-story, $230 million state-of-the-art ambulatory care and medical education building was designed to enhance the patient experience in every way.  This facility offers a number of special amenities, including the Patient Welcome Resource Center, a spacious and comfortable area for patients and families to rest between appointments, as well as an array of medical information and assistance with medical billing and insurance questions.  Consolidating key clinical programs in one location also makes it easier for patients to access services and care under one roof.

The new building, designed by Polshek Partnership and Ballinger, features architectural elements geared towards maximizing an atmosphere of wellness and comfort; reflecting pools and cascading water features; large picture windows which allow for natural light; and design features and colors that add to a soothing environment.

Together with Cornell University's Department of Environmental Design and Analysis, the Weill Cornell Medical College's Physician Organization is conducting several research projects in conjunction with the development of a new ambulatory care building and the introduction of its "Weill Cornell: We Care program" to enhance the patient experience. 

The Physician Organization is the faculty practice of Weill Cornell's over 700 physician/teachers.  Included in its studies are determination of how introducing an electronic medical record enhances physician to physician communication, and whether that enhances patient satisfaction; whether the introduction of patient educational information as part of the visit enhances patient satisfaction; and observational studies of existing practices to determine if there is a statistical relationship between the attractiveness of an environment and the patient's perceptions of various components of their visit. 

A study of the patient check-in and check-out process in the new locations, which feature numerous operational changes and design features planned to reduce the time patients spend other than seeing the physician, is being conducted measuring against existing practices not including those design features.