Dignity Health Facilities Receive a $220 Million Facelift to Express Health, Healing and Humankindness

Multi-Phase Design Enhancements in 39 Hospitals Support Patient
Experience

SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dignity
Health, one of the largest health systems in the nation, is underway
with a $220 million multi-phase improvement project across its
39-hospital network that recognizes the role that the physical
environment has on the ability to improve healing and the overall
experience of patients, their families, and visitors.

“From the moment patients arrive, to their departure, every aspect of
their journey of care with us should be grounded in healing for both
them and their families,” said Lloyd H. Dean, president/chief executive
officer for Dignity Health.

Dignity Health is making this investment as part of its commitment to
humankindness and to improving the experience of everyone who steps into
a Dignity Health facility. All improvements are slated to be completed
by December 2016.

Improvements will be realized in patient rooms, emergency departments,
nurse’s stations, family & surgery waiting areas, main lobbies, parking
areas, gardens, and common areas. Guided by feedback from patients and
their families, the improvements will flow from five design directives
that link directly to patient needs:

Patient Need: Welcome me as a guest (a need to feel safe &
acknowledged).
Design Directive: Refreshed surroundings and
convenient added touches, such as easier access to wheel chairs, vehicle
charging stations, and more clearly defined entrances. Free and easy
access to Wi-Fi will be available throughout the facilities.

Patient Need: Make me feel comfortable and comforted (a need to
feel comfortable).
Design Directive: Custom designed family
seating will be available in patient rooms to respond to the needs of
the family while visiting their friend or loved one. We will change the
cafeteria experience to provide more communal gatherings for guests,
families, and staff in warmer, more flexible surroundings.

Patient Need: Help me navigate with ease (a need to feel informed
and empowered).
Design Directive: Improved way-finding
signage and a way-finding app that will give visitors directions through
any smartphone while on our campuses.

Patient Need: See me as a person first (a need to feel respected
and seen).
Design Directive: Remove barriers to human
connection. The improvements to patient rooms, waiting areas and
cafeterias will address this need. We will also provide interactive TV
and digital monitors in patient rooms and waiting areas.

Patient Need: Inspire my spirit to heal (a need to feel uplifted).
Design
Directive: Interpret healing in unexpected ways. Healing messages
will greet people both inside and outside the hospital to inspire
healing for our staff, our patients and their families, and visitors. We
will even add a wellness wall to all cafeterias that will encourage both
staff and visitors to lead healthier lives.

Far from the typical hospital improvement project, these bold
enhancements showcase Dignity Health’s kindness-centered
brand with its creative approach.

The enhancements will also extend to employees and physicians as
refreshed and refurbished staff and physician lounges that will provide
places of respite for caregivers and staff.

“Our improvements are grounded in research, science, and our brand ethos
of Hello humankindness,” said vice president, corporate real
estate of Dignity Health, Jeff Land. “We understand the link between the
hospital environment and the recovery process, which is why these
improvements are so important to delivering the best care possible to
our patients, today and in the future.”

Dignity Health also embraces the principles of environmental
stewardship. These enhancements incorporate environmental principles,
policies and procedures that include water conservation, reduced waste
and increased recycling, elimination of hazardous chemicals, and tracked
greenhouse gases.

Each facility has a specific exterior and interior schedule of
improvements that has been developed to minimize disruption of patient
care.

About Dignity Health

Dignity Health, one of the nation’s largest health care systems, is a
20-state network of nearly 9,000 physicians, 56,000 employees, and more
than 400 care centers, including hospitals, urgent and occupational
care, imaging centers, home health, and primary care clinics.
Headquartered in San Francisco, Dignity Health is dedicated to providing
compassionate, high-quality and affordable patient-centered care with
special attention to the poor and underserved. In FY14, Dignity Health
provided nearly $2 billion in charitable care and services. For more
information, please visit our website at www.dignityhealth.org.
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Contacts

Dignity Health
Lauren Davis, 415-438-5650
Lauren.Davis@DignityHealth.org