Design of a New Imaging and Cancer Care Facility - Coursework Example

Design of a New Imaging and Cancer Care Facility Other (s) Design of a New Imaging and Cancer Care Facility Introduction The purpose of this project is to design a new Radiologic Imaging and Cancer facility that will offer expanded outpatient services of all the general as well as interventional areas in radiography such as MR, CT, radiation therapy and nuclear medicine. Imaging and Cancer facilities are some of the most complex building types since they normally comprise of a wide range of functional units and services some of which may include diagnostic and treatment functions such as imaging, emergency care and clinical laboratories. Each of the diverse functions of the imaging and cancer facility center will require the installation of sets of complicated electrical, telecommunications and mechanical systems and pieces of equipment all of which must be incorporated in the design (The American Institute of Architects 81). In addition, a functional design of an imaging and cancer facility is also required to be in line with the specific government regulations and codes that govern the constructions of such facilities in the locality while at the same promoting convenience, comfort, energy conservation and cost reduction. Generally, the configuration and layout of such facilities are often determined the physical relationships between the different functions of a given facility. However, unlike in the design of inpatient facilities, the current imaging and cancer center facility will primarily offer expanded outpatient services and therefore its design will be much less complicated since the facility will be closed at night and no space is required for housekeeping areas or hotels within the facility. Design Specifications of the Imaging and Cancer Facility The design specifications of the new imaging and cancer facility include an ability to effectively offer expanded outpatient services including general and interventional radiography such as CT, nuclear medicine, MR and radiation therapy. With regard to the number of persons expected to be served at the facility, the general section of the radiology department will serve approximately 60 patients per day while its interventional radiology section will serve 25 patients in a day. The Computed Tomography (CT) section of the facility will handle 50 patients per day while the magnetic resonance Imaging section (MRI) is expected to serve 20 patients each day. On the other hand, the nuclear medicine department, general/cardiac section will serve 15 patients per day while the Positron Emission Tomography (PET)/ Computed Tomography (CT) section of the department will handle 50 patients per day. In the department of Sonography, the general section will serve 96 patients every day and the Cardiac/Echo section will expect approximately 50 patients per day. At the same time, the vascular section of the sonography department will serve 35 patients per day. The other important department of the facility is the Women’s clinic including obstetrics and gynecology. The main equipment in the Women’s clinic will include mammograms handling 50 patients per day, Ultrasounds serving 40 patients per day and a dedicated magnetic resonance imaging section handling 15 patients per day. The last department in the facility is the department of radio the therapy. Under this department, the external Beam LINAC will handle 150 patients per day, the Brachytherapy will service 10 patients each day, SRT/SBRT section will be handling 15 patients per day, the CT Sim will accommodate up to 25 patients while the MRI will have 15 patients per day. List of Equipment and Personnel Needed A diverse number of different medical equipment will be installed in the new Radiologic Imaging and Cancer facility to meet the treatment needs in both the general as well as interventional areas in radiography such as MR, CT, radiation therapy and nuclear medicine. Generally, the number of the rooms as well as the pieces of equipment required in each department or section is dependent on the expected daily number of patients to be served by each of the sections or equipment. One of the important personnel that will be required in the facility is a Radiation Protection advisor. The holder of the position will be primarily responsible for providing up to date advice and recommendations on both ionizing and non ionizing radiation in the facility, advice on safe working conditions for staff and patients, undertake risk assessments in each of the general and interventional imaging rooms and other associated areas. Fig 1: Floor plan design of the new imaging and cancer facility Radiology The interventional radiology section will use minimally invasive image-led procedures in the diagnosis and treatment of the patients without surgery. The individuals to serve in this section will be the intervention radiologists, and they will use CT scan, fluoroscopy, ultrasound plus MRI in guiding tiny catheters as well as wires through the patient’s vascular system in order to render treatment to particular body parts. This section will serve as a key diagnostic section for the cancer patients and will specifically help in overseeing the treatment processes and predicting the results of a treatment. It will feature numerous imaging modalities with its armamentarium, which will bear varied physical principles with differing levels of complexity. Additionally, the section will ensure use of technologically advanced digital imaging utilities to permit a new set of capabilities in produced images: post-processing, manipulation and rapid global transmission for simultaneous view with the transmitting facility. Using heightened imaging technology the intervention radiologists will carry out varied procedures in order to diagnose and treat numerous conditions of cancer. The interventional radiologists will have to be physicians who feature extra specialty training in radiology. Basically, the interventional radiology faculty will constitute radiology residents, technologists, nurse practitioners alongside support professionals who will be working together to give a compassionate patient-focused care. Nuclear medicine The nuclear medicine intervention department will utilize limited magnitudes of radioactive materials in diagnosing and establishing the severity of a given cancer infection. In view of their ability to figure out molecular activities inside the body, procedures of nuclear medicine will provide the potential to recognize diseases at the initial stages of occurrence as well as pinpointing the immediate response of patients towards any therapeutic interventions that the health care providers will be rendering. Generally, nuclear medicine department will use noninvasive imaging procedures and pain-free medical tests out of which physicians will diagnose then evaluate the medical conditions of a cancer patient. The imaging scans will employ radioactive materials referred to as radiotracers (Aaron, William and Melissa 78). Based on the category of nuclear medicine exam, the patients will inhale, swallow or have the radiotracer injected into their bodies. The tracer-produced radioactive emissions will be detected using an imaging device capable of producing pictures and providing molecular information. The care facility could also consider superimposing the nuclear medicine images with magnetic resonance imaging in order to output special views. This treatment will require radio-immunotherapists. Sonography The sonography intervention section will play a crucial role as far as x-ray imaging is concerned. The process therein will help in solid mass cyst differentiation (Classen, Tytgat and Charles 32). The section will use high resolution sonography units that feature power Doppler capabilities alongside four magnetic resonance imaging units for screening of breast cancer and diagnostic work up. Radiation Therapy This section will work around killing any cancer cell using a radiation level that is as insignificant as possible, and the treatment will have to be evenly spread within a given timeframe. In contrast with the reduced-dose radiation that is typical of the conventional X-rays, this facility will deliver high-doses with the ability to destroy cancer cells, leaving them incapacitated to reproduce or spread (Manohar 12279). Closely following will be cells damage; cancer cells have been known to die after a day, a week or several months and it is the body that gets rid of them. The professionals who will engage in radiation therapy will include radiation oncologists, radiation therapists, physicists, social workers, clinical trial specialists, care conditioners, dietitians, spiritual advisors and cancer nurses with bias in radiation. Women’s Imaging clinic Women’s imaging clinic will offer more sophisticated tests and procedures. The facility will feature a 3-dimensional digital tomosynthesis aimed at improving the healthcare providers’ abilities to discern any abnormalities within the dense breast tissues in women. Additionally, the clinic shall recommend a baseline mammogram alongside annual screenings thereafter for women who shall be facing an averaging risk of breast cancer. Genetic counselors will be better positioned in terms of assessing the level of cancer risks among women who will be attended to. Besides, the clinic will need physicians to use the digital and sophisticated mammograms in detecting breast cancer whilst the disease whilst it is still curable. Other staff that will be needed in the clinic includes mammography technologists, dedicated breast radiologists as well as breast health specialists. Design Justification Efficiency and Cost Effectiveness One of the attributes of the design of the cancer and imaging outpatient facility is the efficiency and cost effectiveness. Firstly, the layout of the facility is particularly design in such a way that it promotes staff efficiency and easy movements within the facility by minimizing the necessary distance of travel between the frequently used spaces in the facility. Generally, the arrangements of the allocation of the rooms for different departments designed in such a way to enhance the functional relationships between the various departments. For example, the waiting room is strategically placed at the center to ensure easy access between the waiting room and the various sections. On the other hand, the design of the floor plan and layout of the facility also makes use of the scarce space by positioning support spaces in a way that they can be shared by the adjacent functional areas within the facility (multi-purpose spaces and functional areas). For example, the X-ray room is placed in a way that makes it easier to be shared by the various sections and departments which have similar functional or system requirements. Finally, the design of the facility also enhances accessibility by both patients and the staff. This has been achieved by use of a patient oriented layout with uncomplicated routes. Flexibility & Expandability Flexibility and Expandability is another important attribute of the current design for the cancer and imaging outpatient facility. In order to take care of the continually changing medical needs workload and modes of treatment, the design has taken into consideration the ability of the facility to incorporate future expansions or changes in design to confirm with the future needs. This has been particularly achieved through a number of design strategies some of which include use of standard room sizes as opposed to highly specified ones, incorporation of the modular concepts of layout and planning and the use of open ended layout design which allows room for future expansions. To ensure proper sanitation within the facility, adequate toilets have been included in each department both for the patients as well as for the staff. There are also sufficient housekeeping spaces in the design. Finally, aesthetics is also an important factor that has been taken into consideration in the design since it enhances the creation of a therapeutic environment. Aesthetics is also an important marketing tool for the hospital and can help improve the public image of the facility. Some of the design aspects that enhance the aesthetics of the facility include attention to proportions, scale and detail, creation of open public spaces within the facility and home like design of rooms and offices. Conclusion In conclusion, the current design of the cancer and imaging facility incorporates both the aesthetics as well as the functional design attributes of the facility. For example, the arrangement of the rooms and the general layout is made in such a way that it promotes convenience, comfort, energy conservation and cost reduction based on the physical relationships between the different functions of a given facility. Although radiologic Imaging and Cancer facilities often provide more sophisticated and minimally invasive diagnostic plus treatment choice for cancer patients, this can remain unattainable in the absence of proper design during the planning phase. As such, a design approach regarding such a care facility should be one that encourages rapid innovations within the cancer care arena. Works Cited Aaron, Henry J, William B. Schwartz, and Melissa Cox. Can We Say No?: The Challenge of Rationing Health Care. Washington: Brookings Institution Press, 2005. American Institute of Architects. Guidelines for design and construction of hospital and health care facilities, 2001. Washington, DC: American Institute of Architects Press, 2001. Classen, Meinhard, G N. J. Tytgat, and Charles J. Lightdale. Gastroenterological Endoscopy. Stuttgart [Germany: Thieme, 2010. Internet resource. Manohar, Srirang, et al. "Initial results of in vivo non-invasive cancer imaging in the human breast using near-infrared photoacoustics." Optics express 15.19 (2007): 12277-12285. Read More