Born from tragedy and rebuilt with purpose, the redesign of Orlando Health’s Level One Trauma Center stands as a powerful national model of how innovation, empathy, and preparedness can redefine emergency care.
Description
In response to the escalating frequency and severity of mass-casualty events in America, Orlando Health undertook a transformative redesign of its Level One Trauma Center, an effort catalyzed by the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016. Originally designed to handle 1,000 trauma cases annually, the center was operating at five times its intended capacity, exposing the urgent need for a facility that could support modern trauma care demands. The design team, in collaboration with frontline physicians implemented immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology early in the planning phase to create a highly functional, consensus-driven layout. By integrating clinician feedback into real-time virtual walkthroughs, the team optimized patient flow, equipment placement, and operational efficiency, all while maintaining 24/7 trauma care throughout the phased renovation process.
The renovation included 20 new and 10 reimagined patient exam rooms, upgraded headwalls and casework, and redesigned nurse stations to improve visibility and workflow. The redesign also adjusted trauma bay walls to allow for more medical equipment and installed new headwalls to modernize the space. Significantly, the expansion more than doubled the size of the trauma center, enhancing surge capacity with 12 additional treatment bays for future mass casualty scenarios. The redesign also added four new EMS transfer bays, a larger ambulance entrance, and upgraded communications systems.
In response to the escalating frequency and severity of mass-casualty events in America, Orlando Health undertook a transformative redesign of its Level One Trauma Center, an effort catalyzed by the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016. Originally designed to handle 1,000 trauma cases annually, the center was operating at five times its intended capacity, exposing the urgent need for a facility that could support modern trauma care demands. The design team, in collaboration with frontline physicians implemented immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology early in the planning phase to create a highly functional, consensus-driven layout. By integrating clinician feedback into real-time virtual walkthroughs, the team optimized patient flow, equipment placement, and operational efficiency, all while maintaining 24/7 trauma care throughout the phased renovation process.
The renovation included 20 new and 10 reimagined patient exam rooms, upgraded headwalls and casework, and redesigned nurse stations to improve visibility and workflow. The redesign also adjusted trauma bay walls to allow for more medical equipment and installed new headwalls to modernize the space. Significantly, the expansion more than doubled the size of the trauma center, enhancing surge capacity with 12 additional treatment bays for future mass casualty scenarios. The redesign also added four new EMS transfer bays, a larger ambulance entrance, and upgraded communications systems.
Description
In response to the escalating frequency and severity of mass-casualty events in America, Orlando Health undertook a transformative redesign of its Level One Trauma Center, an effort catalyzed by the Pulse nightclub shooting in 2016. Originally designed to handle 1,000 trauma cases annually, the center was operating at five times its intended capacity, exposing the urgent need for a facility that could support modern trauma care demands. The design team, in collaboration with frontline physicians implemented immersive Virtual Reality (VR) technology early in the planning phase to create a highly functional, consensus-driven layout. By integrating clinician feedback into real-time virtual walkthroughs, the team optimized patient flow, equipment placement, and operational efficiency, all while maintaining 24/7 trauma care throughout the phased renovation process.
The renovation included 20 new and 10 reimagined patient exam rooms, upgraded headwalls and casework, and redesigned nurse stations to improve visibility and workflow. The redesign also adjusted trauma bay walls to allow for more medical equipment and installed new headwalls to modernize the space. Significantly, the expansion more than doubled the size of the trauma center, enhancing surge capacity with 12 additional treatment bays for future mass casualty scenarios. The redesign also added four new EMS transfer bays, a larger ambulance entrance, and upgraded communications systems.
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