Construction of the new US $14m pediatric emergency department at Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, New York, US is now complete. The new 6,500 square foot modular expansion has provided space to add 12 treatment bays, two of which are isolation rooms, dedicated to critical pediatric care. The hospital, which serves approximately 22,000 pediatric patients every year, had outgrown its existing emergency department.
The modular approach
From its inception, the project called for modular components, which allowed the project team to expand the existing facility with minimal impacts to hospital operations from construction staging. According to Ralph Lambert, chief executive officer of Axis Construction Corporation, In traditional construction projects with a limited site footprint, parking spaces are some of the first areas to be occupied by construction activities. This was simply not an option for this facility, which has one of the busiest emergency departments on Long Island.
Modular construction also enabled the project team to create larger corridors and storage alcoves that house the multitude of medical equipment that must support an emergency department, but often encumbers the space. Comprised of 16 modular units, the project’s interiors include large exam rooms with sound rated walls and doors.
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The modules were built by MODLOGIQ in neighboring Pennsylvania and were nearing completion as the COVID-19 crisis began to escalate in early March, causing construction sites across the state to shut down. However, since the modules were being fabricated in a controlled facility, the work was allowed to continue.
The modules arrived on site in April and were dropped into place within three days, allowing the project to proceed on schedule. In the months leading up to the grand opening in July, on-site work included installation of HVAC systems and interior finishes, which were designed to create a seamless appearance with the rest of the hospital.
According to Ed Casper, project architect for Stantec, permanent modular construction is increasingly being utlitized in healthcare for its flexibility and speed of delivery once approvals are in place from local authorities. “Approximately 25% of Stantec’s healthcare projects use prefabricated elements, with this figure increasing every year. Looking back and considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we realize how important it was to use modular construction in supporting the needs of the client and the community they serve,” says Casper.
