E95 – The Front Door to Better Birth Outcomes: Designing an Obstetric Emergency Department for a Sustainable Future
This session examines how a new Obstetrics Emergency Department (OB ED) is transforming Froedtert Hospital’s Birth Center. This project accommodates growth, improves access to care and supports provider workflows across acuity levels in a family-centered care space separate from the traditional hospital emergency department.
Attendees will learn how strategic design planning paid off as the project goal shifted from creating a triage unit to an OB ED, changing program needs. The session explores what is needed for an OB ED beyond the minimum FGI Guidelines to create an environment which supports safety and efficiency while maintaining flexibility for emergent obstetric care.
Key takeaways:
• How facility planning streamlines the arrival and triage processes supporting timely maternal and fetal care.
• Design strategies that enhance patient and family experience and security.
• Lessons learned from the clinical perspective using mockups in the design process.
• Actionable insights for designing operationally sustainable obstetrics environments that consider what is needed beyond the minimum FGI guidelines for an ED specializing in obstetrics.
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