Magee’s Newest Baby Is Two Stories Tall — and Ready for Guests

New state-of-the-art intensive care and cancer care units blend the latest in medical technology with the best in patient comfort.

It’s no coincidence that the words hospital and hospitality share the same Latin root, hospes, which means to treat guests with kindness and care.

That spirit of welcome is immediately evident in the thoughtful design of two newly opened patient care units at Magee-Womens Hospital of UPMC — one of Magee’s major expansion projects during a century of providing medical service.

“We wanted Magee’s latest major construction to focus on our patients with the greatest medical needs: those requiring intensive care and women undergoing cancer treatment,” says Leslie C. Davis, hospital president. “We’re still among the leading deliverers of babies in the nation, but we also care for men and children, from infants to centenarians. The additional beds also allow us to expand our core obstetrical (OB) services to the units that relocated. Adding space for our OB patients was a primary reason for this expansion.”

Two floors were added to a three-story section of the hospital to create the new 14-bed Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and 28-bed Cancer Care Unit, more than doubling the number of critical care beds. Completed in record time, the new units increased the hospital’s overall bed capacity by 13 percent.

“Before starting the project, we sought the advice of former patients, as well as our doctors, nurses, and staff,” says Joseph Kelley, MD, director of both the Division of Gynecologic Oncology and the Gynecologic Cancer Program at Magee.

“Their ideas and suggestions helped us create a quiet, calming, and safe environment for patients and caregivers. Each patient room is filled with natural light and decorated in soothing earth tones, blending comfort with technology. That kind of setting is very important to healing.”

Emphasizing Patient and Family-Centered Care

Because studies confirm that the presence of loved ones promotes recovery, each patient room in the new unit features a comfortable sleeper sofa to encourage overnight stays. Family members also can order in-room meals for a modest fee, and all patient rooms have free Internet access and cable television.

"Every room has separate zoned areas for families and care- givers, minimizing disruption and reducing infection,” explains David Muigai, MD, medical director of Magee’s ICU. “Visitors comment on how quiet it is here, thanks to acoustical features to minimize sound. And the ICU rooms are designed to accommodate changes in a patient’s condition, eliminating the need to transfer patients as they continue to recover.”

Each floor also has a family lounge and a meditation room. They offer privacy when needed, and company when desired. Both floors also incorporate the latest technology and best practices in green building solutions to minimize environmental impact.

“We couldn’t be prouder of our newest addition,” says Dr. Kelley. “It reflects the kind of signature care and compassion Magee has delivered for more than 100 years.”

Several of Magee’s programs, including cancer care, are again ranked among the best in the nation by U.S. News and World Report (2012-13). Learn more about Magee’s services for women and men at UPMC.com/Magee.