Location: Topeka, Kansas
Year Completed: 2016
Size: 40,000 SF

HMN Architects and Boulder Associates partnered with Stormont Vail Health to provide full architectural and interior design services for Stormont Vail Health’s new Cotton O’Neil North Clinic. The design is integrated with the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) approach to facilitate interaction between patients and a team of caregivers. The clinic is in a growing development area just north of their downtown area, offering convenience for patients.

The slope of the site allowed for same-level walkout entry on each of the two floors. The exterior of the building retains materials consistent with Stormont Vail Health, including limestone accents. Upon entering an open and inviting waiting area, patients have the choice to check-in at the registration desk or the check-in kiosk, which allows for shorter wait times. You get the best of both worlds – interaction and care from team members in an environment that values the urgent needs of patients with the latest technology. The express care clinic and imaging services are located on the first floor and the four-different provider “pods” are located on the second floor.

The color-coded “pods” create a fully open and collaborative clinic. Individual offices for physicians and other staff members are replaced with an open work area with direct lines of sight into exam rooms, accented with glass partitions and a variety of work surfaces. This design allows Stormont Vail Health to provide a team-based approach to all their patients’ treatments. The open space concept allows patient information to be continuously shared between the group of providers, who are all working to deliver care and treatment for their patients.

Flexible ancillary rooms can be utilized for group visits, which help engage patients in the process of wellness learning. This capability represents another major tenant of the PCMH approach – that of the local community aiding in the support process.

The two-story clinic represents a design integrated with a newer, more interactive type of caregiving. This collaboration will result in a better, more holistic patient experience.