Spokane Eye Clinic opened a new south side clinic and surgery center on August 17, 2009 expanding into a larger, more advanced facility to meet the growing needs of patients for specialty eye care.
The 44,000-square-foot clinic and surgery center, located adjacent to the original clinic at 427 S Bernard, is the newest eye care center in the Inland Northwest.
The four-story facility features two floors of clinical space, with specialized areas for diagnostics and testing, specialized treatments and surgery, therapeutics and support services. The new facility includes five operating rooms, expanded pre-op and post-op capacity, as well as a new laser center for a variety of procedures. The facility also features new FDA-compliant research capacity, an optical center and onsite lab, and a variety of specialized amenities and services for patient comfort and convenience.
"The new clinic is an investment in the future that allows us to better serve the growing needs of our patients and the region," said Dr. Jerry LeClaire, president of the board of directors for the Spokane Eye Clinic. "As the population ages, we expect a considerable increase in the demand for specialty eye care."
Expansion in size and capacity
Changing patient demographics and aging baby boomers are driving the need for this additional space.
According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, persons 65 years or older equaled 37.3 million or 12.4 percent of the population in 2006. By 2030, there will be approximately 71.5 million older persons or 20 percent of the population, more than twice their number in 2000.
Seniors comprise nearly half of the Spokane Eye Clinic's patients, and this population consumes health care services at a rate of 7 to 1 compared to working adults. The Spokane Eye Clinic is preparing now to care for this increased number of patients who will need specialty eye care in the future.
Additionally, more than 80 percent of the population nationally requires eye correction, according to American Optometric Association.
The new south side clinic significantly expands the amount of space physicians have to treat patients, with five operating rooms (up from three) and 32 exam rooms (up from 20). Pre- and post-op space has more than doubled. Minor procedure rooms in the main clinic ease the surgery center load.
Laser treatments will take place in a dedicated center with rooms for a variety of retinal, glaucoma and cataract conditions, as well as LASIK surgery. Diagnostic services have been centralized and expanded, with dedicated rooms for specialized equipment and tests.
"We were bursting at the seams in our old clinic," explained Dr. LeClaire. "In order to continue providing the quality care our patients expect, we expanded the capacity and space in our new facility."
High-contrast interior décor for the sight-impaired, patient comfort and convenience
The visual impairment of patients has been a guiding factor in the interior décor of the new clinic. Contrasting colors between carpet, walls and doorframes as well as chair seats and arms help patients easily distinguish between surfaces, making it easier to get around the clinic. Directional signage is large and high-contrast.
Artwork has also been selected with similar consideration. Commissioned from regional artists, the artwork features scenes from around the Inland Northwest. The mix of sculpture, multi-media, photography and watercolor all feature high-contrast coloring.
"The décor in the new clinic is truly distinctive," said Dr. LeClaire. "We have been prudent and thoughtful in our allocation of resources. The new clinic is warm, unpretentious and easily navigable for our patients and staff."
The clinic and surgery center includes many new features for patient convenience and comfort.
Check-in and check-out areas are partitioned for added privacy. Special rooms are dedicated to private patient education.
The optical lab is conveniently located on site for prescription lens manufacturing, tinting and mounting. Nearby, short-term parking allows patients to quickly pick up eye glasses and contact orders.
Large centralized waiting areas plus smaller, private interior waiting rooms give patients the room they need and feature large, flat-screen TVs. A separate children's waiting area features a child-sized door, flat screen TV, toys and fish tank.
For the first time, the Spokane Eye Clinic has dedicated space for clinical research. Offices and FDA-compliant facilities have been reserved for research activities and the clinic plans to hire a research coordinator.
The new clinic also features a dedicated space for orthoptics that help with the diagnosis of eye movement disorders and provide therapeutic eye exercises and training. It is staffed by a Certified Orthoptist.
The Spokane Eye Clinic will open the new clinic and surgery center on Monday, Aug. 17, with the first patient appointment scheduled for 1 p.m.
OMS Inc. of Spokane and Medical Design International of Atlanta served as project architects. Ramey Construction of Spokane was the general contractor.
Posted by H&K on September 22, 2009