Floors seven to 10 in the new adult hospital tower will house our three ICUs and our Cardiac Progressive Care Unit. These four floors are set up to provide the critical care and life support for the most acutely ill and injured patients. Doctors, nurses and other health care providers offer highly skilled care to our patients who have been admitted to Loma Linda University Medical Centers ICU suffering from a variety of medical, surgical, and trauma conditions.

Shared features across each floor include: 32 single occupancy patient rooms (16 rooms per wing) Two med prep rooms (one per wing) One dedicated staff lounge with locker storage per floor Three on call rooms (located in the core) per floor Two physician workspaces (one office space on the west wing and a large team room on the east wing) Lactation rooms for staff on select units Specialized ICU Equipment Rooms dedicated to cardiac monitoring

Service line designations by floor are: Floor 7: Surgical, Trauma, Transplant, and Neuroscience ICU Floor 8: Medical ICU Floor 9: Cardiac and Cardio-thoracic ICU Floor 10: Cardiac Progressive Care Unit

The ongoing hospital construction is a part of Loma Linda University Healths Vision 2020 The Campaign for a Whole Tomorrow. New buildings for adult patients and an addition to Loma Linda University Childrens Hospital will exceed Californias upcoming seismic requirements for hospitals.

You can follow the rise of the towers on a daily basis by checking the construction web cams.

We're sharing photographic updates of the hospital construction work on a periodic basis. Watch for special emphasis on some of the behind-the-scenes-views and untold stories at the Vision 2020 website.

Dennis E. Park posts regular updates and photos on the project, which appear on the website http://www.docuvision2020.com.

See the original post here:
A tour of the future adult hospital's ICU Floors 7-10 - Loma Linda University Health

This article was originally published June 18, 2020on PSQHby John Palmer

Its not an understatement to say that most people who work in healthcare organizations long for the days when just getting their workers to wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) was the biggest issue.

Times have changed, of course, in the new normal brought on by COVID-19. Where hospitals were once coached by safety professionals to ensure they had enough PPE stockpiled, they are now begging the U.S. government to share PPE from the stockpile. Once upon a time, workers were told to use their surgical masks only once. Today, those masks get put into a bag at the end of a shift and used the next dayand maybe the day after that.

Some communities have brought in huge PPE cleaning machines that can disinfect thousands of masks in one sitting, while other healthcare workers have turned to procuring their own masks, gloves, and respirators from painting suppliers and home improvement stores. Its become a free-for-all in some places.

Because of the scarcity, PPE has become a protected resource inside hospitals, says Benjamin Kanter, MD, FCCP, chief medical information officer (CMIO) for Vocera Communications, a California-based company that develops platforms to improve clinical communication and workflow.

Hospitals are taking special precautions and establishing new protocols for accessing and preserving PPE, he says.

Kanter spoke toPSQHabout the state of PPE supplies, procedures, and protocols in the United States, and how it might change the way hospitals prepare and respond to future pandemics.

PSQH: What are some alternate PPE procedures and protocols being developed by hospitals to help preserve PPE supplies and extend the life of the PPE that healthcare workers have access to?

Kanter:The situation is complex, in part because COVID-19 recommendations have been in flux as we learn more about the disease.

Hospitals are establishing protocols to avoid confusion and minimize stress about the type of PPE required in different situations, such as in a standard droplet precaution room, where a surgical mask can be worn, versus a negative air room that requires wearing an N95 mask. Hospitals are now also adopting systems that decontaminate N95 masks, which originally were designed for single use but are sometimes worn throughout a workers full shift because of mask shortages. The decontamination systems make it possible for N95 masks to be used on multiple occasions over a longer period of time.

PSQH: What are some safety measures that organizations can take now to help keep patients and staff safer, and will these continue to be in place even after the COVID pandemic?

Kanter:One of the most important ways that hospitals can keep staff and patients safe is to minimize the number of times that a doctor or nurse has to take on and off protective gear.

There is a widely held misconception, even among healthcare workers, that if I put on PPE, I am safe. Unfortunately, that isnt the case for a number of reasons. If you are going to don and doff PPE, it must be done vigilantly and in a very specific way to avoid gaps in coverage. A large study published last year by a major U.S. medical center found that roughly 40% of their trained physicians and nurses removed their PPE incorrectly, putting themselves at risk of self-contamination. If you are self-contaminated and dont know it, you could touch a surface and unwittingly put everyone else at risk. Even in the best-case scenario where everyone is vigilant and following CDC guidelines, you are at risk of infection every time you go into a patients room.

PSQH: What about communications? Working in PPE can sometimes be very difficult, especially if you need to communicate with a team.

Kanter:Hospitals are working hard to find solutions that keep staff protected, preserve PPE, and minimize the number of times staff members need to go in and out of a room. One way to do this is to allow two-way communication between care team members or a patient in the room and staff outside the room. Having the ability to communicate remotely, instead of going into a patients room, saves time and PPE. More importantly, staff members dont have to risk contamination to communicate.

In addition, hospitals are giving staff hands-free communication devices that can be worn under PPE. If you are wearing full PPE and in a patients room, you need an easy way to communicate with care team members outside of the room without having to remove PPE and step outside the room. I think well see modern PPE include a hands-free communication component like what first responders have as part of their uniform. We would never send a firefighter into a burning building without protective gear or require them to remove their gear in order to communicate with team members. The same holds true now for hospital staff: We need to help clinicians perform their jobs while protected with PPE. Doctors and nurses never work alone, and even if they are isolated in a patients room, they need to stay connected with care team members without having to risk contamination by taking off PPE.

An additional way that hospitals can keep patients and staff safe is to add two-way communication technology for temporary pop-up hospital beds. To manage patient loads during surges, many hospitals have set up pop-up beds, though they are rarely equipped with nurse call systems. To ensure patients in these pop-up locations can communicate directly with their care teams, hospitals are attaching wireless two-way communication devices to these beds, which keep staff and patients connected.

PSQH: How does the PPE response compare to previous pandemics, such as the H1N1 pandemic? Why did we seem to have enough PPE then but not now?

Kanter:During H1N1, I was working in a San Diego hospital, and we did run short of N95 masks and we did have to borrow ventilators from facilities outside of the county in order to care for all of the influenza cases at that time. Surgeries were cancelled and influenza patients on ventilators were scattered throughout the hospital.

COVID-19 is quite different from H1N1, and there are still many unknowns. With influenza, we have medications that minimize the symptoms. We also have vaccinations that decrease the risk of contamination. Today, we have a situation where we still dont understand who is resistant to the virus, and there is no vaccine or simple way to administer treatment. A further complication is that COVID-19 symptoms for some people can be so minor you may not even know you are infected but could still be a vector transmitting the disease to other people. Because signs and symptoms of COVID-19 are so variable, the risk of contamination is higher and requires a different protocol for PPE. Patients with COVID-19 (for now) continue to require contact precautions (gloves and gowns) in addition to airborne isolation, whereas that isnt true for influenza; COVID-19 places a bigger burden on healthcare supplies than influenza.

John Palmer is a freelance writer who has covered healthcare safety for numerous publications. Palmer can be reached atjohnpalmer@palmereditorial.com.

Patient Safety & Quality Healthcares mission is to provide news, science, research, and a forum for opinion for clinicians, healthcare professionals, and everyone interested in improving quality in healthcare. Learn more.

See the rest here:
PPE Success During the COVID-19 Pandemic - HealthLeaders Media

Lakeville Area School Board members agreed at a June 4 work session to having three elementary school additions constructed to have them ready to open in the 2021-22 school year.

The three additions at Eastview, JFK and Christina Huddleston elementary schools would accommodate projected student enrollment growth by the time they open and position the district for any possible expansion of prekindergarten offerings.

The additions would be paid for using lease levy funds, which Minnesota districts can use without having to seek voter approval.

The board discussed placing one or more of the school additions onto a future bond referendum to seek land and building costs for a ninth elementary school, but chose to use lease levy in order to expedite the process to accommodate current excess enrollment and future enrollment growth.

Board members were split on the idea of when to seek voter approval for a new elementary school. Some felt that putting a $30 million bond referendum on the ballot in February 2021 would not be in the best interest of the district. The other option presented by administration was for a February 2022 bond referendum, which if successful would have the elementary school opening in fall 2025 instead of a year earlier.

Board Member Bob Erickson said the timing would not be right for seeking taxpayer approval for the bonds in February 2021.

He cited economic uncertainty and expected revenue losses created by the COVID-19 pandemic resulting in tax increases at the state, county and municipal levels.

Erickson said it is possible the Legislature would not change the per pupil funding formula considering the challenges of COVID-19 and the unrest in the Twin Cities, which would leave the district to make up the difference with its annual levy.

In all candor, there is a lot of stress in every organization in the state and in the community, Superintendent Michael Baumann said.

Erickson said one concept the board could consider is placing a question on the November 2020 ballot for land costs only for the new elementary school.

He called that a precursor for success of a bond referendum.

We need to build a new elementary school, Baumann said.

Baumann said having the land nailed down would allow the district to be specific about where the school would be.

Erickson said knowing the location of the school would ensure the success of the referendum.

Additions

This school year the district had 250 unaccommodated students based on its current classroom capacity at the elementary levels.

That deficit is projected to grow to 325 students by 2021-22, despite a new 10-classroom addition to open this fall at Lake Marion Elementary and changing Impact Academy from a whole-school program to an option at Orchard Lake, allowing for more enrollment at the school.

The Lake Marion addition was also funded by lease levy, which can be used by school districts to build additions of less than 20 percent of the original structure.

Lease levy funds use certificates of participation with higher interest rates, but are paid back in fewer years than most general obligation bonds.

Director of Business Services Bill Holmgren said the annual property tax impact for costs to build the three additions would be $34 on the average value home of $370,000 in District 194. That amount is expected to drop each year as the tax base grows over the 15-year life of the certificates of participation.

Baumann said the administrative staff recommended building a five-classroom addition at Eastview and four-classroom additions at both JFK and Christina Huddleston.

That would create space for 364 students and raise enrollment capacities at the schools to 840, 700 and 672, respectively.

Baumann said this would retain the quality and fidelity of the educational experience in District 194.

This past year Lake Marion Elementary School had three-quarters of the Media Center used for classroom space and a conference room was converted to classroom space. Other schools have also converted non-traditional classroom space for regular instruction.

Having three additions avoids a larger number of unaccommodated students before the ninth elementary could be opened.

Baumann called having the three elementary additions a bird in the hand considering the unpredictable nature of the economy.

We have to be as steady as we can, Baumann said.

Holmgren said it would take about 12 months to build the additions, which is why board members shied away from waiting for a possible February 2021 voter approval, since that would mean the additions wouldnt be open until the 2022-23 school year.

Board members will discuss at a future work session when to seek voter approval for the ninth elementary school and whether it would be combined with other future building projects.

Based on housing development and projected population growth in the district to about 90,000 residents in 2030, the district predicts that enrollment will be over 14,000 by 2030.

In order to accommodate the number of students by then, the district says it would need to construct:

Two elementary schools (with plans to accommodate prekindergarten).

One middle school.

One early childhood center.

Two additions and renovations to the high schools or a third high school.

One Area Learning Center.

One maintenance facility.

One district office.

The latter three are all in current spaces that are projected to be replaced. The last two are in leased spaces.

Link:
Lakeville Area School District to build three additions - ECM Publishers

InterContinental Hayman Island Resort will reopen from 1st September 2020, operating in accordance with the public health orders of the Queensland and Australian Federal Government in response to COVID-19.

Hayman Island has undergone a $135 million refurbishment, bringing the highest standards of luxury and service delivered to guests visiting one of the worlds most desirable destinations.

A new addition to the accommodation offering on the island is the exquisite Three Bedroom Hayman Beach House, fronting Hayman Beach and offering 400sqm of luxurious privacy. Each of the three suites has its own plunge pool, master ensuite and over-sized bathtub with the social spaces offering luxury island living with open plan dining and living room, alfresco entertaining, private sun loungers and unobstructed beach access.

As one of the most significant changes to the resort, Hayman Island by InterContinental has introduced five distinct restaurants and bars, each an exquisite destination in their own right inspired by local flavours and global know-how.

Since the start of the crisis, the resorts leadership team have remained committed to implementing additional health and safety measures in line with local jurisdiction, including but not limited to, increased frequency of deep cleaning public areas and accommodation rooms and adjusting food and beverage operations to ensure the highest level of hygiene and precautionary action.

Building on this work, InterContinental Hayman Island Resort will execute theIHG Way of Clean programme. The programme has been developed in conjunction with experts from Ecolab, a global leader in hygiene technologies and service, and includes deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants in guestrooms and public spaces, and a continued partnership with Ecolab to enhance the programme and provide high-impact cleanliness solutions, including:

Personal guest cleanliness and safety resources, such as:

Enhanced cleaning and operating procedures for every zone of the hotel:

See original here:
Hayman Island by InterContinental Now Open - RusTourismNews

KNOXVILLE, Tenn Zoo Knoxville will be free for dad on Sunday for Father's Day.

It's an annual tradition at the zoo, but things are a little different this year.

Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, guests must buy tickets onlinein advance. Fathers get free admission with a paid adult or child ticket using the promo code FATHERSDAY at check out.

In addition to limiting the number of guests at the zoo, guests are encouraged to wear masks and maintain a safe social distance from other groups.

The zoo is in Phase Two of its reopening plan, which means the Safari Splash water play area is open. The giraffe feeding is back open, and there's expanded access to the award-winning Boyd Family Asian Trek which is home to Gibbon Trails and Langur Landing, and indoor viewing in the Tiger Temple, elephant barn and langur day room.

More here:
Zoo Knoxville will be free for dads on Father's Day - WBIR.com

GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Dan Mullen has been a master of the transfer portal, getting massive contributions out of players that have transferred into Florida in each of his first two seasons in charge. And with a handful of transfers in yet again, 2020 could spell more of the same.

First, there's former five-star Georgia transfer Brenton Cox who will be eligible at rush end after sitting out the 2020 season. He could be an instant replacement for Jonathan Greenard, the Louisville graduate transfer who led the SEC in sacks in 2019.

Then there's former five-star Miami transfer Lorenzo Lingard, who was cleared to play immediately by the NCAA a few weeks ago.

"I think he'll be great for the room because I think he's a real positive guy," Mullen said. "From what I've seen, he works hard in our offseason conditioning, worked hard, got a real positive attitude. I love his personality and I really like who he is as a person."

Lingard, when he was healthy, was one of the fastest prospects in the 2018 recruiting class.

An injury derailed his freshman campaign at Miami, and he struggled to work his way back into the mix at running back in 2019 as he continued to recover from that injury. So Mullen's not quite sure where Lingard's at physically just yet.

"As it pertains to football, I can't answer any questions until we get on the field, but as a person I think he's adding a really positive impact to the team and the program," Mullen said. "I'm really excited about that because he has really positive energy, he has a great attitude and a great work ethic. So I think all of those are really bright for his future, and I'm really happy he's a part of the program."

Florida's also still waiting on the waiver status for a few other players. Former five-star Penn State receiver transfer Justin Shorter is waiting on a potential waiver, as is former Texas receiver transfer Jordan Pouncey.

Either or both could help shore up a receiver room that lost four senior wideouts, three who were selected in this year's NFL Draft.

On that front, though, Mullen doesn't have much more information on when or if those players might be cleared than the average fan.

"We either get the waiver has been granted or denied," Mullen said. "Thats about what you get. We might be more having an idea because theyll say, 'Hey, we need more information about this or more information about something else' while theyre reviewing the case. Well get some of that stuff that (you) know how theyre reviewing it, how theyre considering it, how theyre looking at it. By what theyre asking for for further information."

If either or both are cleared, Florida could be in business. Even if not, Mullen sounds quite high on Lingard, and Cox was already proving to be productive as a freshman at Georgia in 2018.

So expect transfers to continue to have a big impact on the field for the Gators this fall.

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Lingard a positive addition, UF still waiting on other waivers - 247Sports

With teams still not able to properly access their facilities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is some question about exactly if and when training camp will begin, as well as what it will look like if it does. However, lets assume that some of the early positive signs prove to hold up and we are able to resume some kind of normality. The Colts are primed to be an exciting team in 2020, and ahead of camp, were going to review every position group and see how they look on paper.

If youve paid any attention to Chris Ballard at all, youll know that he is passionate about the trenches. He wants his best talent to be on the offensive and defensive lines. The process of transforming this defense into his own vision for it has been gradual, but it is nearing what should be its fruition. That starts with the defensive line, and a group that should be exciting to watch in 2020. Lets dig in.

It is not often that you get to add a sure-thing with your first-round pick. The Colts did it with Nelson in 2018 and have done it again in 2020, albeit by a different method. The Colts sent their first-round pick, pick 13, to the San Francisco 49ers in exchange for the guy many viewed as the best player on a Super Bowl caliber defense.

Buckner is a game-wrecking talent in the middle of the defensive line, and he immediately upgrades the defense in a major way. When Brian Baker, the Colts new defensive line coach, spoke with the media this offseason, he said that his biggest concern when he watched the Colts film was with the depth at the interior on the defensive line. All Ballard did to address that concern was trade for a young All-Pro who is preparing to enter his prime.

With his addition, this line goes from average to good, with the potential to be great depending upon how some of the young talent emerges. The 67 300lb beast brings elite athleticism, incredible power at the point of attack, great technique, and a non-stop motor. Everyone across the defensive line will be able to be better simply because of Buckners presence and impact on the field.

Last year at training camp during the very first 11-on-11 sessions, there was one person who repeatedly stood out. Kemoko Turay looked like he was being fired out of a cannon coming off the line, and were he allowed to hit the QB, hed have had a number of sacks just in that early period.

His 2019 season stayed right in line with that hot start. Through just 4 games, Turay had 2 sacks, 5 QB hits, 8 hurries, and a forced fumble. All that production was despite only being on the field for 81 total snaps.

Unfortunately, his season came to a sudden halt during the game against the Chiefs, when he dislocated and fractured his ankle. The injury sent him to IR, and stunted our opportunity to see if he was gearing up to take a big leap in his second year.

2020 will be big for Turay. With Buckner up front there should be more opportunity for him to get one-on-one looks on offensive linemen. The pressure will be on for Turay to hit the ground running and be a force against the pass. The Colts havent had a quality pass rusher since Robert Mathis retired, and this is Turays chance to prove he can be that next guy.

The biggest man on the Colts defense at 64 330lbs, Grover Stewart saw major improvement over the back half of the 2019 season, and it would not be a surprise to see that continue. He showed himself more than capable of taking up space and keeping the Colts linebackers clean by eating up double teams as well as beating them.

For a guy his size, Stewart has surprisingly good movement to go along with his less surprising power. The Colts brought in new DL coach Brian Baker to put their young defensive linemen to work, and Stewart should definitely see the field often, especially with Margus Hunt gone. With focus on the interior almost certainly dedicated to DeForest Buckner, it will be Stewarts opportunity to shine and create disruption. I expect him to be a breakout candidate for the Colts defense this season.

The Colts have certainly gotten their moneys worth out of Justin Houston since signing him, and despite being 31 years old, there is little reason to think he cant have one of his most productive seasons yet in 2020.

As a part of the Colts defense, Houston worked as a pass rusher without the added responsibility of dropping in coverage as he had done for the Chiefs. In 2020, hell be paired opposite Kemoko Turay and cut loose, and this season offensive coordinators are going to have to make a tough choice: do you roll protection to help Justin Houston, or do you focus on dealing with DeForest Buckner? If Turay comes out hot, that choice becomes even tougher. Regardless, the results are good for Houston, who wont have to be a major contributor in terms of snaps to have a big impact on the game.

Houston forced 2 fumbles, recovered 3, had 11 sacks, and had 40 hurries in 2019 with far less help on the defensive line. He turned in one of the best seasons of his career, and even if he cant produce at quite that same level, he should still be in for a big year.

The Colts love to have a good group of guys rotating in along the defensive line to keep their guys fresh, and that means well probably get to see Muhammad still getting his share of snaps on defense in 2020. He had 3 sacks, 8 tackles for loss, and a forced fumble in 2019, and played well in his rotational role.

Not a great pass rusher, Muhammad will make his money on early downs as the guy setting the edge. With Jabaal Sheard leaving, there is certainly a need for that role, and perhaps Muhammad can assert himself there. He is undersized for a typical defensive lineman, but fits well in the Colts scheme and should continue to be a valued rotational player.

As great as the move to get DeForest Buckner was for the team as a whole, it wasnt great for Denico Autry. He had started in 25 games for the Colts over the past two seasons, and will now be relegated to a backup role. While that is undoubtedly disappointing, it is great for the Colts. They now have a rotational player who has had 12.5 sacks, 22 QB hits, and 17 tackles for loss in his two seasons with the Colts. On a team that loves to use lots of guys on the defensive line, thats a great thing. Autry has struggled to stay healthy, but with a more limited role, perhaps he can be an impact player when Buckner needs a breather and can help keep that line fresh.

Like Turay in his first season, Banogu showed flashes of incredible talent as a rookie. He is a smart, hard-working player who didnt get on the field a lot as a rookie but showed the kind of speed, burst, and bend that you want to see from a pass rusher. In 2020, with a concerted effort to develop these young edge players, we could see a huge breakout year for Banogu.

What remains to be seen is whether they begin to work Banogu in at SAM, where they originally planned to use him. The decision was made during camp last year to predominantly give him work at defensive end, but the thought initially was that he would end up playing SAM linebacker once he got his bearings. With talented players in the linebacker corps, it will be interesting to see how the team uses Banogu in 2020.

Another former 49er, Sheldon Day didnt get a ton of playing time on a defense that was absolutely loaded with talent up front. He provides a big body on the interior and had 15 tackles, 3 tackles for a loss, 2 quarterback hits, and 1 sack last season for the 49ers.

For a player who is nearly 300 pounds, Day shows good athleticism and burst, both qualities that are highly valued on the Colts defense. His technique is solid, and like Autry, he should make for very good quality depth on the interior of the defensive line.

This could be the end of the line for Lewis. He is entering year three with the team, and so far there hasnt been much to speak of in terms of his production. Despite injuries and struggles from the line, Lewis had a very limited impact on the defense, and wasnt on the field much in 2019. At 63 277lbs, he is somewhat in between the Colts normal positional sizes. If the Colts cant get something out of him in camp and feel really good about his development, he may not make final cuts.

The Colts 193rd pick in the 2020 draft, Robert Windsor will be an interesting player to keep an eye on. Windsor is a high motor guy who is somewhat unrefined technically and doesnt offer much in terms of either pass rush or a major presence against the run. He works hard and has the raw tools to be effective, but with a best fit as a 3-tech, his best hope may be to develop as a part of the practice squad.

This is the best total group of defensive linemen the Colts have had in my memory. They have some questions on the edge, but this is a team that should be disruptive up front and has the ability to let their linebackers go to work. If the Colts get the return they expect from Kemoko Turay and Ben Banogu, this will be a great year for the Colts front seven.

Link:
A look at the Colts DL room ahead of training camp - Stampede Blue

Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell met with the media in a Zoom call on Wednesday. The Detroit News

Lions offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell is eager to get an up-close look at his top rookie addition, DAndre Swift, the second-round running back out of Georgia, whenever training camp begins

Were super excited to have him, Bevell said. We feel like hes a really talented, well-rounded running back. A guy you feel like could handle the run, but he has ability in the pass game where you could do some things with him there. So, really, just a complete guy.

D'Andre Swift(Photo: John Bazemore, AP)

I think youre be able to do a lot of things with him. He can handle as much as you want to give him.

Swift will vie for the starting duties with incumbent Kerryon Johnson, who has spent time on injured reserve each of his first two NFL seasons in Detroit. The Lions also bring back Bo Scarborough and Ty Johnson, among others, and they added another back in the draft in fifth-rounder Jason Huntley, whom Bevell described as a little scat-back style, dynamic runner. Hell likely need to earn a roster spot with his return ability initially.

Its going to be a really competitive room, Bevell said. I think thats what youre trying to do with each and every position is get the room as competitive as you can, let the cream rise to the top and youll end up with a really good team when youre doing that.

More:'Driven' rookie Jeff Okudah shows Lions he's ready for some football

More:If 'opportunity'knocks for Colin Kaepernick, don't bet on Lions

Read the original:
Lions think rookie DAndre Swift 'can handle as much as you want to give him' - The Detroit News

As science advances and technology evolves, doctors and other medical professionals can perform procedures with even more precision than ever before. At Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco, surgeons perform many procedures using robotic technology.

One of Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Friscos surgeons, is Sheetal Patel, MD, who primarily uses the robotic technology for bariatric (weight-loss) surgical procedures. Dr. Patel has been performing robotic surgery since 2012, and she is amazed by how rapidly the technology has evolved.

We have a pretty extensive robotic surgery program that encompasses multiple disciplines, including urology, general surgery, colorectal surgery, gynecological surgery, and bariatric surgery, Dr. Patel says. We are very fortunate to have the most advanced robotic surgicaltechnology available for our use at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco.

In addition to being extensively trained on how to perform procedures using robotic technology, Dr. Patel says that Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco has invested greatly in the training of clinical robotic teams in the operating room to ensure they can fully support her and other surgeons during procedures. These highly specialized teams know the ins and outs of every component of the robotic technology and allow for a highly efficient operating room focused on patient care and good outcomes.

Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco was one of the first hospitals in north Texas to implement this technology. Patel says that the robotics program at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center Frisco also serves as a mentor site for surgeons and medical professionals around the country who want to learn and observe how a robotics program works.

Weve been very fortunate and proud to serve in the capacity of a mentor site for other surgeons across the country who want to learn more about robotic surgery, Patel says. The methods we use and the way in which our team works is so fantastic that we have hosted other facilities to come to Baylor Frisco to observe. Not just to observe us as surgeons, but to observe the whole team as we work together.

Along with many other accolades, Baylor Frisco is accredited by the American College of SurgeonsMetabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program (MBSAQIP). Faced with clinical evidence that the most experienced weight loss surgery programs have the lowest rates of complications, MBSAQIP was created to recognize weight loss surgery centers that perform well, help weight loss surgeons continue to improve the quality and safety of the care they provide and ensure the best possible outcomes.

Though robotic surgery may sound a bit daunting, Dr. Patel assures us that it is indeed safer and allows for improved surgical accuracy. With robotic surgery, we can enhance our control, reduce incision size, reduce blood lose, and typically provide a quicker recovery for our patients, says Patel. The robot is equipped with a three-dimensional camera that allows for 10-times magnification and an improved field of vision. The hands of the robot allow for more precise movement in seven different directions. The instruments that we use robotically allow us to virtually have our hands inside the patient without making large incisions, Dr. Patel says.

All of the instruments can do more than what a wrist can do as far as rotating and maneuvering.

With robotic surgery complications and the recovery period are proven to be 14 to 45 percent lower than those of traditional procedures.

The whole point of minimally invasive surgery is to decrease pain to the patient, decrease operative time, improve recovery time and get patients back to living their lives, Dr. Patel says.

As a surgeon trained across different platforms, I can tell you that robotic surgery is one you will see more and more. Other surgeons will adopt the technology because its becoming a mainstream method. When, as a surgeon, you see your patients doing so much better, and you know that using robotics has allowed for that to happen, its a pretty profound thing.

Find out more at BSWHealth.com/FriscoRobot

At Baylor Frisco ensuring the health and well-being of our patients and team members, as well as our community as a whole, is our first and most important priority. As such, we haveimplemented a COVID-19 safety plan consistent with CDC guidelines known as COVID-19Safe Care. The program is designed to keep our patients and team members safe so that they can feel confident as they receive and provide care. Some of the components of COVID-19 Safe Care include:

We are committed to your safety.

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How Robotics are Improving Surgical Procedures and Saving Lives at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center - Frisco - Local Profile

UNStudio Designs a Multifunctional and Flexible Education Building for TU Delft in the Netherlands

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Part of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), in the Netherlands, Echo is a new multifunctional and flexible inter-faculty building, now under construction and due for completion in Dec 2021. Designed by UNStudio, in collaboration with Arup and BBN, the future-proof facility meets the needs of the ever-increasing numbers of students.

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Designed in line with the Dutch universities requirements of extra teaching space, the latest intervention at TU Delft engenders larger teaching rooms. Supporting educational typologies with an energy-generating building, Echo is centered on the adaptability and wellbeing of the user. Housing a total of seven teaching rooms and more than 300 study spaces, with flexible layouts, Echo includes a large lecture room, which can accommodate 700 people and can be divided into three separate rooms.

The future campus needs to be programmed with a series of agile spaces that invite students and faculty to learn, collaborate and co-create. As student numbers continue to grow, educational buildings need to be extremely flexible: they not only need to operate for shared, interfaculty use, but also need to house a large variety of flexible spaces that cater for various ways of teaching and studying and varying class sizes. -- Ben van Berkel.

Designed according to the new and future needs of the lecturers and students, Echo puts in place space for lectures and tutorials, group work, project-based teaching, debates, and self-study, for around 1,700 students. In fact, the teaching rooms can accommodate between 150 and 700 people, and project-based teaching of four-level rooms can host 70 people each. Moreover, a case-study room will introduce motivational teaching/interaction between lecturers and students. In addition, two auditoria define the space in a lively open square where numerous and varied activities can take place. A centrally positioned grand stair facilitates and promotes physical movement through the building.

Transcending current learning environments, the design supports the contemporary culture of 'Everything Anywhere', where the in-between space is also of great importance. Echo not only connects with the surrounding public space, but it also defines it. The ground floor, turned into a covered flexible public square holds two sculptural volumes that direct the flow of people. With a robust yet sleek exterior, the structure opens up to the activities taking place inside to the surroundings.

The design of Echo fulfills the progressive sustainability ambitions of the TU Delft. [] Not only has a great deal of attention been paid to the environmental impact of the materials used in the construction, but the building has been designed as much as possible according to principles of circularity. -- UNStudio

Read more here:
UNStudio Designs a Multifunctional and Flexible Education Building for TU Delft in the Netherlands - ArchDaily