AHA helps a local hospital expand its critically needed behavioral health beds.

A confidential, regional community medical and surgical hospital recognized the need to improve its facilities in order to best serve its patient population and launched several renovation and expansion projects in 2017. However, the hospital knew that these projects would be far from typical. Placing the needs of patients above all else, the hospital is unable to close at any point, meaning construction has to take place while the hospital remains occupied and in operation. 

Knowing these challenges, the hospital repeatedly turns to AHA Consulting Engineers (AHA) for assistance. 

AHA collaborated with the hospital on expanding its Inpatient Behavior Health Unit by over 60% to accommodate 7 new critically needed behavioral patient beds. The expansion, including alternations to adjoining medical offices, posed some challenges for the team.

AHA had to devise a plan to use and extend upon the existing “house” MEP systems to accommodate the new layout while remaining compliant with the FGI’s Design Guide for the Built Environment of Behavioral Health Facilities.

Concurrently, AHA’s engineers worked on designs for a new secure, short-stay area in the Emergency Services Department, a Hybrid Operating Room, an MRI replacement, and renovations for the Radiology and Cashier Departments. The team balanced the projects well and followed through with designs for all five. Once construction begins, AHA will oversee any challenges faced by the contractor.

Overall, the progress made on the design aspect alone marked a solid achievement for the AHA team. Paul Fimian, Partner and Project Executive for AHA, credits the contributions of all the engineers and also the solid collaboration with other disciplines for the success.

“We have been working with a great group of team members,” Fimian said. “The working relationship is very good. We reach out to the hospital’s representatives and the architect when needed.  Their timely responses allow us to complete our work within the project schedules.”