Your Doctor's Visit, Your Way

TACOMA, Wash. --(Business Wire)--

Transforming the health care experience for patients is the inspiration behind the new Franciscan Medical Building at St. Joseph that opened on Feb. 19. The new 120,000 square-foot destination care center, located at 1608 South J Street in Tacoma, was developed by Franciscan Health System and Frauenshuh HealthCare Real Estate Solutions.

The new Franciscan Medical Building at St. Joseph (Photo: Business Wire)

What makes the new medical building different from the usual doctor's office

Self-rooming. Following a quick check-in process, patients proceed directly to an exam room, greeted within minutes by a member of the care team. This minimizes exposure to other patients who may be ill. Even follow-up care and services are scheduled in the patient's exam room, making the experience more convenient and more personalized.
Care and services designed by patients, for patients. Patient volunteers worked in partnership with Franciscan clinicians, physicians, operational staff and architects during the design process to help bring the patient perspective to life. From streamlined, consistent layout on all five floors to make wayfinding easier and design touches such as subdued lighting, gliding doors and relaxing spaces to on-site laboratry, pharmacy, café and free wi-fi, everything in the medical building was designed for patient comfort and convenience.
Destination care centers. Designed to meet all the needs of the patient in one location, the new medical building includes primary care, women's care, orthopedics, neurosciences and ENT, and eye care as well as a retail pharmacy, walk-in (no appointment needed) laboratory and a café.
Patient-only hallways minimize exposure to the hustle and bustle of operations and reinforce a soothing, calming environment for patients.
Free parking and just a skybridge away from advanced care. A new parking garage with 818 spaces offers patients free parking with validation. Patients who need additional services or specialty care can easily access St. Joseph Medical Center via a skybridge.

"The collaboration between physicians and patients during the design process made a big difference in how this building functions," explains Stephen Spare, MD, president and chief medical officer of Franciscan Medical Group. "By reimagining care from the patient's perspective and working to streamline processes, our patients will benefit from more quality time with their physician and a more comfortable experience overall."

"This state-of-the-art new medical facility will also help us achieve a key goal in this era of health care reform - to provide the right care, at the right place, at the right time," added Syd Bersante, St. Joseph Medical Center president. "It represents Franciscan's unwavering commitment to carry on the legacy of work our founding Sisters brought to Tacoma more than 120 years ago."

Franciscan collaborated with the People's Community Center to add an artistic component that pays homage to Franciscan's century-long relationship with the Hilltop community. A 300-foot-long mural depicting past and present community leaders, residents and the Sisters of St. Francis adorns the Martin Luther King Way side of the parking facility. "We were pleased to work with representatives from the People's Community Center for their valuable feedback and contributions in helping create this beautiful, community-inspired mural," said Syd Bersante.

Franciscan Health System includes St. Joseph Medical Center in Tacoma, St. Francis Hospital in Federal Way, St. Clare Hospital in Lakewood, St. Elizabeth Hospital in Enumclaw, St. Anthony Hospital in Gig Harbor, Franciscan Hospice House in University Place, Franciscan Medical Group clinics and providers in Pierce, King and Kitsap counties; and the Franciscan Foundation. Franciscan is part of Catholic Health Initiatives (CHI), a national non-profit health system with headquarters in Englewood, Colo. With total annual revenues of more than $10.7 billion and approximately 83,700 employees, CHI ranks as the nation's second-largest faith-based health system.