As workers tend to finishing touches and staff prepare for the first patients, Englewood Hospital is just weeks away from opening the doors to The Kaplen Pavilion, a next-generation facility with almost 60,000 square feet dedicated to patient care.

The stunning two-story structure, which stretches from the Main Lobby of the Medical Center almost to the northernmost boundary of the campus, includes a world-class emergency care center three times larger than the existing emergency department and an innovative unit for patients recovering from orthopedic surgery or neurosurgery. 

The momentous occasion will be marked at a celebration on Thursday, September 17 at 4PM. Lead donors Maggie and Bill Kaplen, two of the Medical Center’s dearest friends and most generous benefactors, will be the day’s most honored guests. It was the Kaplens’ $5 million gift that set the tone for what has been a labor of love for many, many people.

The opening of the 35, 000 square-foot emergency care center, just 18 months after ground was broken for the pavilion, will mark the beginning of a totally new patient experience for area residents in which comfort and privacy are key elements of emergency care.

“Our emergency care center patients will receive the exceptional care they deserve and have come to expect with an extraordinary new level of comfort and privacy,” said Medical Center President and CEO Douglas A. Duchak. “At every turn, our commitment to providing state-of-the-art care in a humanistic setting guided the project.”

Highlights include 40 spacious private treatment rooms, fast track triage and treatment for adults and children, numerous specialty rooms, and a dedicated imaging suite located directly in the center and staffed 24-7. The treatment rooms, almost all of which have windows, are located along a wide, U-shaped corridor, as are seven large care team stations and other work areas for physicians and staff.

Patients who arrive at the pedestrian entrance (ambulances enter at the opposite end of the pavilion) will benefit immediately from the skilled planning and thoughtful design that have informed every detail of the center. Free valet parking is available around-the-clock, the welcoming, custom-crafted lobby is arranged so patients can be signed in and assessed by a physician and nurse within minutes, and comfortable waiting areas are decorated in peaceful earth tones. Families with small children will be able to help pass the time in the children’s playroom.

A step-saving layout, leading-edge technology, and dedicated resources and staff will be complimented by the flexibility built into the treatment rooms, all of which are completely equipped for treating critical care patients. Any patient can be treated in any room during the busiest times.

The Medical Center’s commitment to exceptional compassionate patient care is exemplified in the second floor, a striking 24,000 square-foot space for patients who have had orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery. The 22 private rooms, all with windows, specially-equipped private baths and room to spare, offer optimal comfort and efficiency to patients, their families and staff. Caregivers will work from one of four care team stations, with their patients in close proximity. Top-of-the-line equipment and technology will facilitate the work of physicians, nurses and all caregivers.

A hotel-like setting with gracious hallways, home-like furnishings, soothing décor and amenities such as flat screen TVs and Wi-Fi has been carefully assembled to foster healing, relaxation and efficiency. A sunny dayroom for patient and family education, among other group sessions, demonstrates a focus on including family in the recovery process, and provides a pleasant setting for patients to share experiences and concerns.

“Once we recognized the need to provide this unit for our patients, we knew that creating the best environment possible for the exceptional care that it would contain was the only way to go,” said Mr. Duchak. “It is a great point of pride for Englewood Hospital that providing superior healthcare to the people we serve is our greatest inspiration and strongest motivation.”

The Lifeline to Tomorrow Campaign is funding The Kaplen Pavilion and naming opportunities are still available. Contact Englewood Hospital and Medical Center Foundation for more information at foundation@ehmc.com or 201-894-3004, or watch for a letter outlining ways to give.