Log

I revised my testing procedures and handed them in for grading to Ms. Green. We figured out exactly what plot of land we are using, on Heck Ave. and Ridge Ave. in Asbury Park, 07712. The plot is fairly large but having different measurements on each side. Our next goal is to get the building codes and figure out exactly how much land we can build on and begin our final drawings and a rough model.

Log

This week I have gotten more pictures on my blog as intended. I am revising the Testing Procedures. I have also begun finalizing the design so I can begin drawing. Our group discussed materials to use, roof designs, and floor plan layouts. With this knowledge we can complete drawings and begin our model shortly. We must also get information from Asbury with building codes, size of plot, and location of plot. We are also visiting another hospital to look at their ER. With all of this information we are ready for presentations and due dates.

Log

Hello,

So far I am up to date on what is due according to my calendar. Everything is posted such as background information, design brief, brainstorming, alternate solutions, selection/rejection, summer research and testing procedures. I know I need to keep adding pictures and keep up with the drawings. I will be using CAD 2009 Architectural to do the exterior elevations of all walls with materials labeled and heights of floor and ceiling lines and window and door heights and dimensions. I will also be drawing exterior wall sections with all materials labeled and dimensioned with a roof pitch. This is what I will be working on next week during class so construction of the model can begin shortly after.

Alternate Solutions

Brainstorming

Ideas on

 Locations:

- Should be in areas far from hospital
- Offer help to areas with high crime rates

- Asbury Park, NJ
-Closest hospitals
- Long Branch, NJ
- Neptune, NJ
- Red Bank, NJ
- Crime- Murder : 1.55 times the National Average
- Forcible Rape : 1.14 times the National Average
- Robbery : 4.92 times the National Average
- Aggravated Assault : 3.04 times the National Average

- Belleville, NJ
- Closest hospitals
- Belleville, NJ
- Bloomfield, NJ
- Newark, NJ
- Crime
- Murder : 0.36 times the National Average
- Forcible Rape : 0.84 times the National Average
- Robbery : 0.53 times the National Average- Aggravated Assault : 0.60 times the National Average

- Irvington, NJ
- Closest hospitals
- Irvington, NJ
- Newark, NJ
- East Orange, NJ- Crime
- Murder : 5.80 times the National Average
- Forcible Rape : 2.04 times the National Average
- Robbery : 5.75 times the National Average
- Aggravated Assault : 2.99 times the National Average

- Keansburg, NJ
- Closest hospitals
- Long Branch, NJ
- Neptune, NJ
- Red Bank, NJ
- Crime
- Murder : 0.00 times the National Average
- Forcible Rape : 0.00 times the National Average- Robbery : 0.50 times the National A

verage
- Aggravated Assault : 1.29 times the National Average

-Chose Asbury.

Ideas on rooms
-Needs:
- reception desk

- restroom in waiting area- ample file storage
- trauma room
-patient rooms
-EKG-oxygen
-defibrillator
-iv
-wheel chair
- desk
- hearing booth- boiler room
-

 sterilizer
- xray machines- lab
- ambulance entrance
- Floor Plan Ideas:
- all employee only rooms should be in same hallway

- lab near emergency entrance
- largest room for file storage
- biohazard waste room central to patient room

- doctors offices with employee rooms
- bathrooms should be strategically placed
- trauma room should be away from waiting room

Selection/Rejection Report

Alternate Solution 3

Alternate Solution 2

Alternate Solution 1

Selection/Rejection

The chosen cite to build the emergency medical clinic was in Asbury. The choice was based on several factors including crime rates, nearest hospitals, and available land.

Three seperate floor plans were also drawn as alternate solutions. From these the final solution was to be chosen. Alternate solution 1 was drawn by Kelly Daniels. It is a basic square building was strategically placed rooms. Such examples are the employee rooms combined in one hallway, patient rooms grouped around the x-ray room and bathrooms, and the conference room, to dicuss diagnoses, by the patient rooms. The hallways flow around each area making it a smooth operating design.

Alternate solution 2 was drawn by Lauren Keiser. This also has an extremely funcitional layout. Like solution 1 employee rooms are grouped together for ease of communication and reduce confusion. The trauma room is across from the bathrooms so patients being treated for more serious injuries will be able to easily access what they need. Other patient roo

ms are all along the same hallway as well as important rooms like radiation and lab. It is a great layout because the trauma room has a back entrance so emergency vehicles will not be interrupted by regular patients.

Alternate solution 3 was drawn by Natasha Konczynski. It is also a rectangular simple shaped layout. Like alternate solutions 1 and 2, employee rooms will be grouped together. Such rooms are file storage, doctor offices and billing/storage. The conference room is again near the patient rooms for easy diagnosis. The trauma unit is a large room with easy access for ambulance around the back. Biohazard waste closet is also near pati

ent rooms for easy disposal of needles and other lab products. Bathrooms are also easily accessible for patients around the clinic. Although this layout has all the necessary rooms it is not put together as well as it should be.

Alternate solution was the final choice. It has the best layout and design for easy flow and communication within the clinic. The way the rooms are grouped together for easy accessibility for doctors, staff, and patients is well thought out and easy to work with. This plan carries all the necessary rooms and important features to the clinic. After drawing the originial design we decided to modify it with smaller details. It now includes the main entrance, two emergency exits, and the ambulance entrance into the trauma room. We also shifted the patient area further up making the shape more like an "L". This new modified layout meets all requirements and is the most logical choice for our final solution.

Research

The first area of research for the TSA Architectural Model competition was to define what exactly a freestanding emergency medical clinic was and what it has to do. Freestanding just means that it is run separately from any other medical operation and is confined to its own building. The job of the emergency medical clinic is to help citizens with a range of different medical injuries or illnesses, from something as minor as a sprained ankle to something far greater like trauma from a car accident.

The second area of research for the project was location. A site had to be selected to build the freestanding EMC. We based our site selection on areas with high crime rates, areas that might need medical assistance, and available lots. After looking at areas that follow this criteria, Asbury Park, NJ was the final choice. When research was constructed, Asbury Park was not near a hospital, had higher crime rates and did have a large plot available to build on. We then researched the address of the City Hall in Asbury to retrieve building codes for our plot. The emergency medical clinic will be modeled on a lot between Heck Ave. and Asbury Ave. with a the back of the building facing Sewall Ave.

Once those parts of the research were complete we actually visited a freestanding emergency medical clinic, in Middletown, NJ, to see the components of the building. As we took a tour of the clinic we took notes for the layout and parts of the building that were an absolute necessity to any medical office. Before leaving we asked doctors, nurses, and staff for their opinions and suggestions. We then took the information and researched other EMO's and their components. They were basically all the same and these notes are what we used to compose our specifications, limitations, brainstorming and first alternate solutions. When reviewing our notes we realized that the Middletown EMO is not completely up to date. Instead of including a large file storage we will only need a standard sized room because most files are now on the computer. We also do not need a dark room because the images can be developed and printed electronically.

After looking through the notes we began researching what exactly were necessities to a successfully operating EMC. It must be handicapped and ambulance accessible, and especially easy to get to from the main street. With basic necessities outlined for us and a final location we had to begin researching construction. This helped lay out the floor plan as far as sizing and components of the final solution.

Then research of construction took place. I looked up building foundation, materials, and procedures. The first thing I concentrated on was foundation. This includes 8"x8" footings, 8"x8" cinder block walls built on top of the footings, gravel laid under a concrete slab which meets with the foundation wall and lightweight frame walls. The footing must be set below the frost line for New Jersey which is about 36 inches or 3 feet. After researching procedures at laying down a foundation, I researched roof styles. When I spoke with my group we all agreed on a flat roof pitch for our final design of the building. Upon completing these stages, I then went on to research building facades and materials. Again I conversed with my group members and we decided on stucco as opposed to the more common use of brick. Our reasoning was because stucco looks more natural and modern and will be easier to use than having to anchor the bricks and add more layers to the wall. For our roof I think the best material to use is a shingle that is durable and long lasting. I looked up some roof shingle options and decided on a darker brown quality duration shingle that can withstand up to 130 mph winds and is algae resistant for 10 years. Brown was chosen because of the natural looking theme and keeping with cooler earth tones would create a pleasant look to the building. It can look like a polished and professional clinic. The inside walls was my next concern. Of course with any building there must be insulation, drywall, and sheetrock to construct the basic interior of a wall. Of course with window and door openings things can get a little more complicated. The space on the wall that will include where the window or door will go will have to also include the header, trimmer stud, and sill to support the opening. Sometimes even cripple studs will need to be used to line the top of the opening. Sectional drawings will be revealing the details of the foundation and wall building and be labeled with dimensions and materials.

Testing Procedures (revised)

The final solution is expected to operate smoothly and function accordingly. The design of the layout is to get rid of inconvenient traffic flow within the building and to create better communication. This is especially important for diagnosis of patients. Patient rooms and employee rooms are going to be separated into two different hallways for this purpose.

The EMC must follow certain specifications and limitations such as:

- not exceeding the plot of land

- following all building codes and township codes

- managing labor, time, and materials wisely

- being on a main street but not obstructing traffic

- having adequate parking

- being handicapped accessible

- having ambulance parking and emergency doors

- having large storage areas

- having a waiting room and reception desk

- having all necessary rooms for medical attention

- having an adequate number of restrooms

- offer a range of medical attention from slightly injured/ill to an emergency situation

All of this information is then compared to the design, required drawings, and model to make sure everything is correct, accurate, and professional. Mentors and peers will be asked to criticize before the final presentation to clients is given.

Testing Procedures in order of operation:
1) Make sure all blueprints and other drawings are accurate and correct. Prepare final survey.
2) Discuss final products with mentors for additional feedback.
3) Prepare model/presentation for clients.
3) Set up date and place to meet with clients.
4) Present to clients all information, processes, drawings, sections, and model.
5) Ask for feedback from clients.
6) Distribute survey for clients evaluating design.

Example Survey:

Name: ____________________ Date: __________

1. Do you believe this is a functional design for the designated objective? Why or why not?

2. Does the location appeal to you based on need for medical assistance in the area?

3. Does the design seem to include all necessary components of an emergency medical center? If not, what is it missing?

4. Are the drawings and model accurate, professional, and realistic for an actual job plan?

5. Is the proposed solution overall something you like or dislike? Why?

Specifications/Limitations

Specifications

EMC must:

-be located central to where medical attention is needed most in the community

-not be close to community hospitals

-be located on a main road

-have handicapped accessibility

-have ambulance parking with easy access to building

-meet all building codes of state and local government

-be self sufficient

-be designed with space efficiency

-have a trauma center

-have an x-ray and radiology set up

-have a waiting room

-have sufficient storage for paperwork and files

-have doctors offices

-have biohazard waste removal

-have billing management

-have storage

-have boiler room

-have radiant resistant glass

-have at least six patient rooms

-have an adequate amount of restrooms to comfortably suit patients

-have a reception desk

Limitations

EMC must:

-not exceed plot of land chosen

-not break building codes set forth by town chosen

-not exceed capacity for available parking

-not have adverse impact on traffic volumes and patterns

-not have adverse impact on environment and surrounding natural resources

-construction must fit within consumer budget

-construction must not exceed available supplies

-labor should be well managed and timely

Design Brief

To design and model a freestanding emergency medical clinic that serves the medical needs of the community and appeals to the client, staying within the specifications and limitations.

Background Information

A free standing emergency medical clinic is a facility that is open to the public for immediate medical attention if a hospital is not within the area, or if the ailment is not serious. The EMC is not dependant on a hospital or other facility, but is completely self-sufficient. The facility is usually located in a business district along a main road so that it is easily accessible.The EMC is capable of handling small ailments such as strep throat or a sprained ankle, to serious trauma demanding immediate medical attention. The building contains many resources such as lab equipment, bio-hazard storage, trauma unit, examination rooms, file storage, office and conference space, waiting room, reception area, restrooms, storage, hearing booths, X-Ray equipment, and employee space. Space is often limited in an emergency medical clinic, so every space must be made usable, and no free space wasted.Emergency medical clinics are open to the public and deal with similar insurance policies and costs as that of a doctor’s office. An average EMC will employee 7 doctors, a radiology specialist, and 15 nurses. Doctors at an EMC are specialized in emergency medicine as well as general practice medicine. One doctor will be present at a time, with rotating shifts among the other doctors. This requires the doctor to have to move quickly yet efficiently from as many as 6 or 7 patients at a time. An EMC is not usually located near a hospital, but in areas where medical assistance for the community is needed if a hospital cannot be reached in time, or is not necessary. Emergency medical clinics are vital to the health and wellbeing of a community and provide medical care directly to the public.An emergency medical clinic must be highly accessible to handicapped persons, and must be accessible by an ambulance easily. Special accommodations must be made for wheel chairs and ramps/pathways must be accessible to the ambulance loading/offloading area. Waiting rooms must be able to accommodate the capacity of the examination rooms, and the limit of the building.A trauma unit is necessary for patients needing immediate medical attention due to serious injury. The trauma unit must have within itself special equipment such as a defibrillator, IV setup, and its own set of equipment. The trauma center must also be in an open and large area to be accessed easily by medical personnel.The building of an emergency medical clinic has many more building codes and specifications than that of a home or commercial building. The building must be able to support an emergency situation, while dealing with standard patients. The design of the building must ensure that space is used efficiently and that all parts of the building are fully accessible.