Monday, November 03, 2014BOARDMAN, Ohio -- Beginning Nov. 17, Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley will offer specialty services including cardiology, neurology, orthopedics, urology, lab and radiology at its Warren office.
The 5,000-square-foot space at The Market Place, 5000 E. Market St., features nine exam rooms, three assessment rooms, ultrasound, lab draw area, radiology room, echocardiogram room, nurses’ stations and physician charting area. Akron Children’s will host a community open house Saturday from 1-3 p.m. to show the space.
“It’s important for families to stay close to home when finding quality health care,” says Lisa Taafe, clinical administrative director, Akron Children’s Hospital Mahoning Valley. “Offering these specialties will allow us to bring Akron Children’s pediatric expertise closer to families in Trumbull County.”
The space was designed with input from patient families, who participated in mock-ups using wood and cardboard. They considered several aspects, including wheelchair access, waiting area space and brightness of rooms. Akron Children’s Hospital used the Lean process for this project, which helps streamline services, save costs and increase capacity through improved use of resources, according to Sheryl Valentine, Lean Six Sigma deployment leader for ACH.
“We’re making sure that the space works for our patients, physicians and staff, and that’s why we take the time to test the space,” Valentine said.
"It was interesting to see how something like this is built, and exciting to know that the needs and comfort of patients and their families are considered, every step of the way,” remarked Sarah Plant, a mother who participated in the process. “From the size of the hallways to the way we'll be greeted when we walk in the door, it really takes a lot of work to prepare for the kind of experience we've come to expect."
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.
CLICK HERE to subscribe to our twice-monthly print edition and to our free daily email headlines.