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Bringing Home Into The Hospital
By Jim VanderSteeg and Courtney Liebenrood

When Peter and Niki Bullard walked through the doors of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville for the first time, their reaction was similar to those of thousands of patients and visitors who have been here since the opening of the facility in May 1999.

They couldn't believe it was a hospital.

"Everything from the main lobby to patient rooms was overwhelming," Niki says. "It's nicer than many of the hotels we've stayed in."

Her husband simply said, "So, how long can we stay here?"

While their reaction may seem strange for a hospital visit, it is not unusual for our patients to feel this way about our facility, which was why we built it the way we did.

When the thought of building Baptist Collierville was still in the embryonic stages, many goals formed fast in our minds about this facility and its role in the community. Collierville is a very historic town rooted in the tradition of its people and also the fastest growing city in Tennessee. We also had a wonderfully unique opportunity to start from the ground-up and build the most efficient and patient-friendly hospital in the Mid-South. We selected Earl Swensson Associates as the architectural and interior design firm for our facility and went to work.

From the clinical perspective, we had to build a facility that was state-of-the-art in every fashion and to ensure that every decision we made -- architecturally speaking -- would benefit staff operation and patient care.

Margaret Sandidge, R.N. in the emergency department, claims that extensive planning and research created a flow of services that makes everyone -- staff members, patients and family members -- feel more relaxed and confident about being at the hospital.

"The design created a flow that is conducive to the highest quality patient care," Sandidge says. "Patients love it because they receive treatment without having to wait too long. It also makes our jobs as health care professionals easier."

Our facility doesn't look like a hospital at all. It was designed entirely around patient needs. We created a more hotel-like atmosphere to make everyone feel more at ease. The sterile and uninviting look of most healthcare facilities intimidates visitors. But here, people want to come in and look around.

The design of our large patient rooms also surprises many. Each room is complete with Pergo wood floors, beautiful decor, a television and VCR, and a sofa bed. The Bullards, who delivered a baby boy here in June, said the home-like surroundings made their stay even more special, making family and friends who came feel very welcome.

Making patients, family, friends and staff who come to and work in our hospital feel very welcome and at ease was our purpose all along.

Jim VanderSteeg is the CEO/Administrator of Baptist Memorial Hospital-Collierville in Tennessee. He can be reached at jim.vandersteeg@bmhcc.org. Courtney Liebenrood is the Public Relations Coordinator for Baptist Memorial Health Care. She can be reached at courtney.liebenrood@bmhcc.org.