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Blessing Hospital, Moorman Pavilion Psychiatric Units

Customized features for various care specialities

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Blessing Hospital, Moorman Pavilion Psychiatric Units

Quincy, Illinois

Christner designed a new 7-story, 173,000 sf patient tower for Blessing Hospital. The behavioral health floors are located on the ground and first floors of the patient tower. The behavioral health patient care area is comprised of three different units, 10-bed Behavioral Medicine Services that focuses on substance abuse, 16-bed Adult Psychiatric Services and 15-bed Adolescent Psychiatric Services. Planning for the units involved considerations for patient safety, levels of risk for various patient areas, staff observations, staff safety, visitor entry, and overall unit security.

While the units were designed to run independently from each other, where appropriate they share some common spaces - such as an activity rooms, equipment storage rooms, and an outdoor activity area enclosed with tightly woven fencing and netting above. Each floor has several seclusion rooms, a dayroom, a group room, and an activity room. A separate learning classroom was designed for the adolescent unit. The interior spaces were designed to incorporate blues, greens, and light wood tones and to extend the hospital’s art program that creates a calm and healing environment for patients and family members.

The administrative office suite has a public entry point. Restricted staff circulation connects both floors through an internal stair that facilitates “back of house” convenient staff access to all three units. The units were designed to current standards of care for patient and staff safety. Relevant guidelines incorporated in the design include: State Regulations, AIA Healthcare Guidelines, Design Guide for the Built Environment of Behavioral Health Facilities and other industry references. These guidelines explain special features such as anti-ligature design and tamper resistant hardware.