Cass Health Addition and Renovation

Introduction

Since 1968, the staff at Cass Health has been serving patients of all ages with care and compassion for varied medical needs. Throughout the last decade, Cass Health has expanded services from its original mission as a county hospital to providing medical care for the surrounding region. With the addition of numerous physicians and healthcare services, Cass Health recently developed an extensive master plan that encompassed facility renovations and additions.

The  Story

From a new clinic and improved parking lots to a new helipad and renovated admitting/registration area, Cass Health’s new facilities will be able to continue providing top-notch medical care to the local community as an independent rural hospital. Partnering with Shive-Hattery and McGough Construction to accomplish the vision, Cass Health had some ambitious design requests. As a result of numerous additions and renovations throughout the years, one of the areas that needed work included the hospital and clinic admissions areas, which were fragmented making it difficult for patients to know where to go to register. Another area that caused confusion for patients was the clinic layout, which was a maze of corridors, making patient wayfinding difficult at best. Additionally, many areas were experiencing patient privacy issues. With the facility experiencing rapid growth, there was not enough room to put patients who needed care.

As the team was designing the renovations for the Infusion Clinic, they wanted a surfacing solution that would install over previous materials. Rather than demolish the existing columns in the clinic, the project team opted for Crossville Porcelain Tile Panels by Laminam that would exude elegance and tranquility while offering the high-performance characteristics of tile.

These innovative porcelain panels are durable, versatile, and ideal for installing tile over existing tile with minimal demolition. With overall dimensions of 1m x 3m yet just 3mm in thickness, these panels can be easily trimmed and installed over a range of substrates—just what was needed for this renovation project.

The Infusion Clinic does not have any windows, so the design team wanted to ensure natural elements were brought into the space while also making sure they were durable and easy to clean, especially important in any healthcare installation. Selecting the I Naturali in Ossidiana Vena Chiara colorway, the team created a clean, fresh palette for the columns.

“For our healthcare clients, we are very conscious to choose finishes that are not only durable and easy to clean but also have an aesthetic that can stand the test of time,” explained Erika Menke, architect with Shive-Hattery. “We achieve all of these things with Crossville Laminam porcelain tile panels by selecting a neutral-tone stone look.”