Saint Cabrini Hospital & Surgery Center - Seattle, Washington
This project was completed while I was a Principal and CEO of HNTB, Inc, PS ( located in Bellevue, WA.) and was a subsidiary of HNTB, INC, Architects and Engineers, headquartered in Kansas City, MI.
This surgery center for the Cabrini Hospital included ground breaking research for both microscopic surgery, and for it's head on research for the reduction of infection during procedures.
We started out interviewing the staff and support personnel for the work in the surgery theaters themselves. Infection was the highest concern. Our research resulted in the application of copper and silver in all of the appliances and instruments, as well as the construction of the walls and floors. All rooms incorporated copper wire mesh under all surfaces; floors walls and hardware such as door handles. Next we pioneered the laminar air flow across the surgery table itself, bringing in hepa filtered and ultraviolet treated air from the outside, and then pressurizing the operatory positive to the rest of the building. No air born contamination was allowed.
Later follow up survey showed the results of this design which determined that the infection rates had fallen dramatically.
This facility is now part of the Swedish Hospital complex and it the most sought after facility in their entire operation.