OhioHealth Doctors Hospital constructed an addition of a 12 bed Observation Unit. This new unit alleviated stress on the existing Emergency Department (ED) by providing a place for patients that need extra treatment or observation before a decision is made to discharge or admit to the hospital. A key design requirement was adjacency of the Observation Unit to the existing ED, which, given existing site constraints, required site modifications to reorient the typical flow and access of ambulances to the ED. The resulting close proximity of the Observation Unit to the ED allows a quick transfer of patients requiring observation without compromising patient care, safety, or operational efficiency.

In addition to providing space for observation of patients, the new addition also includes a new outpatient services entrance, which greatly improves patient access and convenience to a wide range of outpatient services including imaging and cardiology. This new entrance, with dedicated, convenient parking for outpatients, eliminates the need for patients to use the main hospital entrance and walk long distances to access these services.