Architectural Finishes Enhances Patient Satisfaction

Project Scope
HealthPartners Regions Hospital’s highest priority is patient satisfaction. Every effort is made to ensure that the hospital’s facilities are as pleasant, comfortable and stress-free as possible for patients and visitors.

“Part of the healing process is to bring certain lights into the environment and other amenities to distract the patient from what they’re feeling. It is very important for us to stay on the leading edge of patient satisfaction,” said Rick Huston, Senior Director of Plant Operations.

Situation
To improve patient satisfaction, HealthPartners Regions Hospital decided to refurbish several patient care units. As planning got underway, the team faced some logistical challenges: replacing doors and cabinets was cost prohibitive, and the rooms could not be out of working order for extended periods of time.

Solution
3M invited the Enterprise Sustainability Team from Regions Hospital to the Innovation Center on the 3M campus to see some of the new products that bolster sustainability efforts. With the refurbishment initiative already in the planning stages, one product stood out as a good fit: 3M^™ DI-NOC^™ Architectural Finishes. It provided Regions Hospital an opportunity to repurpose the existing doors and cabinets in a cost-effective, expeditious and environmentally-friendly way.

Before implementing the surface finishes within all the rooms, leaders of the refurbishment project decided to put DI-NOC to the test. They ran a few trials on several doors to evaluate the durability of the product, and they were pleased by its adhesive capabilities and the ease of repairs. After testing DI-NOC, it was clear that it was a good choice for the project.

“We found DI-NOC to be very intriguing for several reasons. For one, we can repurpose an area without a long wait time. Secondly, DI-NOC makes a surface look completely different within a matter of hours. And lastly, we are able to save on cost by not disposing the cabinetry and doors into the landfill,” Huston said.

Results
A general care unit was refurbished with 3M^™ DI-NOC^™ Architectural Finishes. Using a light-wood design, the team created a modern and clean aesthetic, answering to the desire for rooms that look updated and new. In addition to the pleasing appearance of DI-NOC, the refurbishment of the cabinets and doors was an extremely short process, completed within hours.

Implementing DI-NOC saved on cost by preserving the original cabinetry and doors. Using the existing cabinets and doors allowed Regions Hospital to avoid an expensive removal process, including a 70 percent county landfill tax based on waste volume, as well as design, production and installation of new cabinetry and doors. Project managers estimate that choosing DI-NOC architectural finishes helped the hospital save nearly $250,000 and significantly shortened the project duration.

In choosing to incorporate 3M^™ DI-NOC^™ Architectural Finishes in the patient unit refurbishment project, the hospital was not only able to repurpose existing cabinets and doors, saving time and money, but also create an environment in which patients can feel comfortable and safe. The Regions Hospital team is already in the planning stages of future projects which incorporate DI-NOC. Rick Huston adds, “DI-NOC solved a lot of our problems. DI-NOC helped us think differently when we walk into a space and, more importantly, about how long the space has to be under construction.”