The goal behind the design of the Cardiac Prep and Recovery unit at Huntsville Hospital was to create a
separate “hospital within a hospital” for those patients requiring outpatient heart procedures. Unlike what most people may consider a clinical space to look and feel like, this unit was designed to give the impression of an upscale hotel lobby where the patient would feel like a guest.

To that end, the waiting area establishes an inviting reception once the patient arrives from the elevator lobby across the hall. The space is visible through a wall of glass, creating a definite point of arrival to the concierge desk just beyond the entry doors. The state-of-the-art treatment rooms are divided into two pods of 18 beds each to improve patient care and staff efficiency. Each pod can be operated independently in a self-contained fashion minimizing steps for the clinical staff.