HGA completed the design for the Northeast Georgia Medical Center located in Braselton, Georgia.

Designed as a satellite of the flagship Gainesville campus, Northeast Georgia Medical Center (NGMC) Braselton is planned around a “Small Hospital/Big Programs” concept to deliver innovative care in a community hospital setting rivaling any larger hospital nationally.

Through a collaborative process using Lean and Evidence-Based Design, HGA’s medical planners directed a series of interactive workshops with staff, physicians, and community members to formulate a vision for the new patient-focused hospital. The team focused on guiding principles established by Northeast Georgia Health System (NGHS) in order to: create a total patient experience; deploy Evidence-Based methodology to achieve extraordinary clinical outcomes; promote collaborative, team-based care; develop a sustainable setting that advances patient wellness and safety; align incentives to achieve the best possible value for healthcare dollars; innovate through new ideas; and establish a healthcare destination “village”.

With the guiding principles, the team approached the project as clinical consultants, planning clinical processes first, and then the structure, basing every decision on a research-based approach in coordination with NGHS’s Lean Six Sigma Team.

The site plan promotes intuitive wayfinding, in which visitors enter a central rotunda that leads to a reception desk. Clad in a natural wood wall system, the rotunda gives prominence to the front door while referencing the design vocabulary from the existing Braselton community campus. Infused with abundant natural light, the interior visually connects to the campus landscaping, from views of the shaded courtyard outside the dining atrium to vistas of wetlands from private patient rooms.

Natural materials establish an inviting environment, with stone and wood highlighting common areas, such as the entrance rotunda, atrium, and café. Overall, the use of regional material, connection to nature, and natural daylight humanizes the building experience for patients, visitors, and staff.

Interior planning supports a team-based care philosophy that encourages physicians and staff to work together. Decentralized nurse stations and nurse servers reduce the distance to supplies, allowing staff to monitor patients more effectively. An interventional platform co-locates procedure and operating room services with a common prep/recovery platform for efficient operations and use of space. And a short-stay platform co-locates patients with less than a 24-hour stay (ED and Imaging) to allow treatment spaces to flex based on time of day.

NGMC Braselton is a leader in environmental design and land stewardship while capturing real savings in building operating costs. To achieve LEED® Gold, the hospital integrates several sustainable innovations, including creating an energy model in which building systems are analyzed for optimal performance. A geothermal heating-and-cooling system, reclaimed purple pipe water for irrigation, and dark sky lighting that reduces light pollution all contribute to a sustainable environment, positioning NGMC Braselton among the greenest hospitals in the country.

Ultimately, NGMC Braselton positions itself as a leader that cost-effectively delivers quality care and services rivaling larger hospitals nationally. Lean principles enabled the hospital to achieve operationally efficient, cost-effective results, and an outstanding patient experience.

Architect: HGA
Design Team: Kurt Spiering, Mark Bultman, Brent Peterson, Kiki Werkheiser, Paul Widlarz, Megan Schmiedlin, Dave Janous, Jesse Robinson, Tim Scanley, Jes Skaug, Bryant Mosconi, Mike Torine, Ron Burns
Contractor: Turner Construction
Photography: Darris Lee Harris