Cincinnati Children’s new Critical Care Building—opened in November 2021­—allows the Heart Institute and its cardiology and cardiothoracic surgery teams to implement more effective and innovative care models for patients.

“We’re providing the same high-quality care, and now form and function go together,” says David Cooper, MD, MPH, medical director of the Heart Institute. “We now have the operating rooms, cath lab, cardiac intensive care unit [CICU], acute care cardiology unit [ACCU] and cardiac anesthesia recovery unit all in one contiguous space. This allows for a seamless transition in care for patients.”

That means no more traveling down long hallways, on elevators or to other buildings since the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit sits right outside the operating room doors. The modern-day inpatient heart center also includes patient rooms equipped for catheterization and surgical procedures with enough room for an operating room team.

“Having everything connected improves response times,” Cooper says.

Innovative Cardiac Care, Advanced Technologies

Aligning the ACCU and the CICU in one contiguous space lets staff implement leading-edge care models developed to improve patient care. These include:

• Cutting-edge telehealth technologies. Care teams can virtually round with families when they are unable to be present in person.
• Fast track program. Safely reducing length of stay is an institution-wide initiative. Our fast-track approach was developed from prior success the Heart Institute had with some of the shortest hospital stays following cardiac surgery in the country. A patient can be admitted to a room and remain there for the entire hospitalization.
• Inpatient area for adult congenital heart patients. We are one of the few units with a dedicated inpatient area for adults with congenital heart disease. These rooms were designed with adult-appropriate accommodations and facilities for patients coming to our nationally accredited Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program.
• Teleconferencing abilities. The Heart Institute conference room allows for easy virtual collaboration and decision-making with referring physicians.

Built for Patients and Families

Patients and families provided input and insight that shaped how the Critical Care Building uses its space in several ways.

“When families are better cared for, it allows them to be better engaged,” Cooper says.

Areas that meet family needs and foster connections among care teams, families and patients include:

• Larger inpatient rooms. Families have space to spend time together and the storage needed for a long stay. Rooms offer better sleeping accommodations for families and allow for personal touches to make the room more comfortable. Rooms also can be arranged in multiple ways depending on a child’s needs and equipment.

• Built-in pass-throughs. Each patient room includes a pass-through that allows staff to access trash and replenish supplies without disturbing the patient and family.
• Family respite spaces. These areas near patient rooms provide privacy for phone calls, private conversations or just a moment away.
• Four gardens. Patients, families and staff have access to rejuvenating nature spaces.

For families traveling to Cincinnati Children’s from out-of-town, the world’s largest Ronald McDonald House is adjacent to the hospital. The house provides free or low-cost housing, meals, respite and community for family members.

Large-scale Virtual Training 

The Cincinnati Children’s Dell Digital Experience Technology Lab also played a key role in the opening of the Critical Care Building. The lab and its digital team helped develop the largest virtual reality training experience any hospital has used to train over 3,000 employees. 

The team created a digital environment that simulated space and room setup so employees could learn the layout of the building and rooms, as well as locations of key equipment and supplies before they entered the new environment.

The lab also leads other digital experiences, including 3D printing, surgical planning, virtual reality simulation training and multi-user virtual reality team training.

Learn more about the Critical Care Building and take a virtual tour here.