Print
Toronto General Hospital
Clinical Services Building
One of the Most Sophisticated Facilities of its Kind in the World
 |
| View CSB's Slide Show |
Located at the corner of Toronto's University Avenue and Gerrard Street – and connected to Toronto General Hospital's Eaton and Norman Urquhart wings and the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre – the Clinical Services Building (CSB) is a major milestone in UHN’s Project 2003 redevelopment and renewal plan. The plan is creating more efficient health sciences facilities at both Toronto General and Toronto Western hospitals. The third hospital in the UHN network is Princess Margaret Hospital.
Due to open officially later this year (2003), this facility is designed to provide a supportive patient experience while meeting the needs of the many specialties housed there. Every area, large or small, has been created so staff feel as though they are working in an exceptional environment – one that is consistent with the outstanding patient care, research and education conducted at UHN.
Advances in surgical techniques in the last decade have changed operating room design to accommodate increasingly complex surgeries. Twenty-two operating rooms in the CSB will serve the advanced surgery performed at UHN, including cardiac, vascular, urology, oncology, otolaryngology, thoracic, plastics, gynaecologic and general surgery.
The facility allows UHN's program leaders to continue to develop innovative surgical techniques, including minimally invasive surgery. These advancements mean better outcomes for patients.
Clinical Services Building – Floor Plans:
Level 1
Medical Imaging consolidates diagnostic services and is designed with patient privacy and comfort in mind. The unit houses two general radiography machines, three CT Scanners, two MRIs and 12 ultrasound units.
Less invasive imaging guided procedures have replaced a number of surgical interventions allowing patients to recover quicker. MRI rooms have copper walls to optimize MRI image quality by reducing stray radio frequencies and magnetic pulses that interfere with the sensitive equipment. The MRI machines have been placed on a floating cement slab to reduce external vibrations such as those from the subway.
Radiologist reporting areas are conveniently centralized for improved physician consultation and Medical Imaging staff access.
Level 2
Nineteen large operating rooms ranging from 550 to 800 square feet have been built and space has been set aside to construct three more in the future.
The adaptability for either open or closed surgery makes these new operating rooms the most sophisticated in North America.
Medical equipment is suspended from the ceiling on booms that increase floor space and create a safer environment for both patients and staff.
Eleven of the 19 Operating Rooms are equipped with the most advanced audiovisual systems in the country. The visual and audio information can be relayed anywhere in the world, creating tremendous opportunities in research and education.
The Main Control Desk of the Operating Room is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to see and hear activity in all of the Operating Rooms simultaneously. The information is relayed to computer screens positioned above the entrance of each Operating Room. And each Operating Room is equipped with a PACS (Picture Archiving Communication System) to integrate information between medical imaging and surgery departments.
Level 3
A walkway connects the Norman Urquhart Wing of Toronto General Hospital with the new Clinical Services Building. The glass-enclosed bridge is used to transport sterile products.
The Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) Waiting Area, which has private consultation rooms to offer comfort and privacy to families and visitors, looks out on the main lobby.
The mechanical room generates a rapid supply of clean air that flows into the Operating Rooms, optimizing operating conditions by reducing the risk of infection. Airflow rates are set higher than the minimum recommended standard.
A centralized smoke evacuation system treats and disposes of smoke generated in surgical procedures. The new filtering system decreases staff and patient exposure to toxic fumes.
The Medical Engineering department will move onto this floor. Their close proximity will enable them to quickly respond to requests for medical equipment support.
Level 4
The four-storey glass Patient Court is an inviting area for patients, staff, and visitor to relax in and enjoy the natural light, greenery and open, airy spaces.
The stone entrance to the Bell Wing of the Toronto General Hospital, which was located on the corner of University Avenue and Gerrard Street and was demolished to make room for the new building, has been preserved and reconstructed inside the Patient Court.
Eight Cardiac Surgery team stations will improve patient accessibility by assigning patients to a nursing team. Each nursing team will oversee 14 patients, fostering a close nurse-patient relationship.
Upgraded Telemetry Monitoring Systems record patient’s heart rates from an external pack. These new machines are able to monitor patients while they are anywhere on the fourth floor. The upgraded equipment has the added advantage of fitting into a portable device that continues to monitor patients as they move between floors.
Designated isolation rooms have their own ventilation systems to create a negative pressure environment that will safely expel air from the patient rooms to the outside in cases of infectious diseases.
Patient education classrooms are situated on all of patient floors.
Level 5
Consistent with all the features outlined on Level 4, including the telemetry system, this level has a total of 52 beds. The Medical Surgical Day Unit and the Cardiology Program, each with 26 beds, share this floor.
Level 6
Urology/Gynecology/Oncology will be housed on the north side of this 56-bed floor while the Ear, Nose and Throat/Plastics Programs will be located on the south side. Both areas include a four-bed step-down unit.
Level 7
In response to growing demand, Level 7 is dedicated entirely to the Transplant Program. This new floor allows for an increase in the number of in-patient beds from 36 to 50. By committing a substantial amount of research and educational resources, University Health Network is in the forefront of this challenging and growing specialty.
Level 10
Level 10 is made up of a 20-bed Medical Surgical Intensive Care Unit (MSICU) and a 16-bed Transplant Acute Care Unit (ACU), complete with all the support space required for allied health specialties such as Respiratory Therapy and Pharmacy. To ensure the safe lifting and moving of patients, the unit is equipped with a high-tech patient lifting system. In addition, rooms have medical gas supplied from central columns room as opposed to coming the wall, increasing accessibility for patients.
Level 11
Level 11 is dedicated to teaching and research in the Transplant/MSICU Programs. The medical offices and teaching areas are configured in an efficient, open concept design. The education/training programs have an impressive 1,850 square foot lecture theatre at their disposal. An area is also designated for Psychosocial Coordinators to provide support for patients and their families.
Level 12
Level 12 is home to a 6,000 square foot Transplant Medical Day Unit in which testing, biopsies and other simple procedures take place. There are 28 dedicated exam rooms and four isolation rooms. The floor also incorporates a 2,000 square foot waiting area and a 300 square foot patient education centre as well as a physiotherapy room used for post-transplant rehabilitation.
View Clinical Services Building's Slide Show
