Technology and Customer Service Play Critical Roles in the Successful Delivery of Suburban Hospital’s New North Building

BETHESDA, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clark Construction Group joined representatives from Suburban Hospital, the Johns Hopkins Hospital system, and the local community to celebrate the completion of the Campus Enhancement Phase II for Suburban Hospital, which is a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine. The 300,000-square-foot, five-story addition, known as the North Building, features 108 private rooms. The addition, designed by Wilmot Sanz, also features a new main entrance with a soaring, window-filled atrium, the newly-named Marriott Education and Conference Center, two catheterization labs, and 14 advanced operating suites.

Incorporating best-in-class medical systems and planning for future technology were two of the primary goals for the project. A new hybrid operating room is equipped with specialized imaging equipment for use during highly precise vascular and structural heart procedures. Suburban Hospital also introduced technology that enhances the patient experience. In each patient room, a touchscreen monitor replaces the typical dry-erase patient communication board. S2N Technology Group, an affiliate of Clark, managed the integration of the touchscreen monitors, the operating room integration system, and several other systems including security, audio/visual, nurse call, RTLS, overhead paging, telemetry and physiological monitoring, radio, and television.

Technology plays a critical role in the day-to-day operation of any healthcare facility, but for this hospital project, it also played a part in its execution. When Suburban Hospital decided to add a stair tower and elevator shaft adjacent to the active emergency department, the team used creative planning and hydro-excavation technology to complete the excavation with zero disruptions to active hospital operations.

Throughout the two-year construction schedule, Clark’s team worked with Suburban Hospital to incorporate emerging requests into the project.

“Suburban hospital had requests in order to achieve their vision, and we did our utmost to accommodate their requests,” said Ryan McKenzie, senior vice president for Clark Construction. “We have a long history and a great relationship with both Johns Hopkins and [architect] Wilmot Sanz. We collaborate well and we trust each other. It’s important to me and to Clark that we put the project first and set everyone up for success and that’s what we did here.”

The opening of the North Building marks the completion of Suburban Hospital’s five-year campus transformation project, with support from private donors providing nearly $65 million.

“The new addition empowers Suburban to further expand its clinical capabilities and leadership as the hospital of choice in Montgomery County,” said Jacky Schultz, Suburban Hospital president.

As the firm looks to the future, 2020 is shaping up to be a big year for healthcare at Clark Construction. The company has seven projects underway nationwide and will deliver two of those projects in the Mid-Atlantic this year, including the Medical Pavilion at White Oak, which supports the Washington Adventist Hospital Cancer Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, and the University of Maryland Medical System’s Capital Region Medical Center in Largo, Maryland.

The North Building will open to the public in phases in March of this year.

For more info about the use of hydro-excavation on the Suburban Hospital project, read our article on the operation.

About Clark Construction Group

Clark Construction Group, LLC is one of the nation’s most experienced and respected providers of construction services. American-owned and operated since 1906, Clark is consistently ranked by leading industry organizations as one of the largest general building and civil construction companies with annual revenues of approximately $5 billion. Headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, the company has offices strategically located to serve clients throughout the country.