Holland Basham Architects imagined the design expansion for the Methodist Health System’s Jennie Edmundson Medical Office Building in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

As part of a Master Plan completed in 2015, the Methodist Jennie Edmundson Medical Office Building expands the adjacent hospital campus outside of contiguous growth. Located on a major thoroughfare, the view of the southwest corner of the building makes an impressive impact and improvement to the campus and the surrounding community. Placement and design of the building on the site considered the relationship to the busy boulevard and adjacent hospital. The site design included a healing garden and expansion of parking to the south and east.

The three-story medical office building offers additional and much-needed physician office space and specialty clinics on the Methodist Jennie Edmundson campus. The first floor is a 16,400 s.f. Primary Care and Orthopedic clinic that includes 36 exam rooms, four treatment rooms, four intake areas, three nurse/physician pods, an X-ray suite, and a diagnostic lab. Each pod includes a nurse station, a shared provider office, and a consultation room. After hours, the first floor will also operate a 9-exam room for urgent care. The following describes design considerations for the first floor:

• HBA developed a design standard for the waiting and reception areas tailored to the health system’s standards of care to greet and check-in patients.

• Thoughtful exterior elevations and window placement allowed for equally sized exam rooms on a defined window module. Input and engagement from the user groups resulted in a design for the nurse’s stations that maximizes efficiency and improves daily workflow.

• The caregiver can monitor the patient from the control area in the X-ray suite and adjust the level of light to ensure comfort during a procedure.

• The design of the lab space included input from the users and an understanding of the needs and placement for each piece of equipment for maximum workflow and process.

• The treatment rooms include plenty of light with hidden roller shades when privacy and light control is needed.

The second floor holds Women’s Services and is 17,800 s.f. to include 25 exam rooms and Perinatal Services with three exam/ultrasound rooms, two non-stress testing rooms, two treatment rooms, three intake areas. Additionally, an Outpatient Imaging Center which includes mammography, ultrasound, and bone density scanner. The following considerations were applied to the design of the second floor:

• Filled with light, the nurses’ station on the second-floor diagnostic center promotes well-being in the workplace for the care providers.

• The ultrasound rooms factored engagement between a doctor and nurse with the patient and family improving overall ergonomics and patient experience.

• The design of the nurse’s stations on the second floor accommodates the specific needs of the staff in the OB/GYN clinic.

• The mammography suite features state-of-the-art equipment and separate dressing rooms to provide patients with exceptional care.

The third floor is a 4,200 s.f. Gastrointestinal clinic for Midwest Gastrointestinal Associates.

Design: Holland Basham Architects
Photography: William Hess