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Center for Advanced Healing

What Healing Principles are found at Saint Alphonsus?

Private rooms
Decrease infections, increase privacy and patient satisfaction.

Decreased noise levels
Use of noise reducing building materials (carpet, ceiling tiles), design (curved soffits), and reduced overhead paging. Reduced noise positively impacts patients and staff.

Windows
This principle is one of the factors that influenced the shape of the Central Tower. Patients in rooms with pleasant views have shorter recovery times and fewer complications.

Light
Use of indirect lighting, focused task lighting, and extensive natural lighting. Bright light can improve depression, agitation, sleep, circadian rhythms, and staff accuracy and effectiveness. Sunlight is linked to shorter stays, lower stress, less pain (and pain medication), and even lower mortality!

Access to Nature
Gardens (Trails, Memorial Rose Garden, Chapel Garden, FMC/NICU gardens, future rooftop garden), live interior plants, water walls and artwork. Nature speeds recovery, and decreases stress, anxiety and pain.

Positive distractions
Refers to several features, including music, laughter (clowns!), pets, art, and nature. Special ceiling tiles above patient beds, treatment tables and elevator lobbies, and fireplaces in surgery and ICU waiting rooms. Produce positive reactions and decreased stress and anxiety.

Furniture arrangements
Clusters of small, flexible groupings, as well as providing furniture in a variety of sizes and seating options. Encourage social interaction, enhance privacy.

Air quality
Air filters, air flow and ventilation decrease infections.

Flooring materials
Use of honed granite flooring at entrances; it's safe when wet, easy to maintain, and extremely durable. Use of rubber flooring in the OR's provide an easily cleaned and comfortable surface. Safe, easy to maintain, control sound, and meet patient and staff needs.

Wayfinding
Use of multiple factors (including signage), different flooring materials at intersections, providing unique artwork niches at elevator lobbies, and the personal touch of our staff being attentive to the wayfinding needs of our patients and visitors.

Building design
Maximizing our ability to provide Patient-Centered Care. Decentralized charting alcoves, efficient floor plans with maximized visual fields, off-stage corridors for staff and patients, ergonomic equipment such as adjustable booms in surgery and ICU, and lifting booms.

Saint Alphonsus has established a way for the public to contact the hospital to ask questions, and find out more information about the project. In addition, E-mail messages can be sent to vision2010@sarmc.org and general information – including updated parking maps, fact sheets, and frequently asked questions—can be found in this section of our Web site.

E-mail inquiries: vision2010@sarmc.org

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