With a focus on patient wellness and environment, Baycare's new Outpatient Diagnostic Center aims to bring comfort and convenience to Hillsborough County residents.
The new 10,000-square-foot Outpatient Diagnostic Center, at 4091 Van Dyke Rd. in Lutz, was designed by ROJO Architecture and is part of the St. Joseph's Hospital-North Baycare Health System. Outpatient services include mammography, MRI, CT scans, X-ray, ultrasound, bone density scans and phlebotomy and sleep labs.
"Anytime a patient in need of testing can go to a facility that isn't a hospital brings convenience," says Principal of ROJO Architecture Jonathan Moore. "The center has a unique design which allows the staff to function effectively while keeping patients comfortable."
As ROJO architects looked for opportunities to increase the comfort of Baycare patients, they took notes from the outdoors, allowing nature to dominate while providing an efficient environment. But apart from nature, Moore and the rest of the firm kept the center's patients in mind -- one of the center's goals was to create a relaxing atmosphere in what can typically become a stressful testing environment.
"The interior has a natural setting which contrasts and camouflages the highly technical diagnostic equipment and processes," says Moore, a Baycare patient living within one mile of the new center.
A model for designing diagnostic centers throughout Florida, earth tones and environmentally friendly materials can be found throughout while high windows allow a constant view of the Tampa Bay region's blue skies; a covered entryway and patio slope upward, giving patients a clear view of the wetlands behind the building; glass panels with in-laid with bamboo accent the corridors; and artwork by award-winning nature photographer Carlton Ward can be seen throughout the facility.
Construction on the center took about six months with DeLotto and Sons acting as general contractor on the project, Gulf Coast Consulting as civil engineer, Hall Engineering as electrical engineer and Mechanical Engineering Solutions as mechanical engineer.
"The building is the result of so many teams putting their heart and soul into detailing the next level of patient care for Baycare, and I believe the entire team should be commended," says Moore.
Writer: Alexis Quinn Chamberlain
Source: Jonathan Moore, ROJO Architecture
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