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Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center First Hospital to Install STAAT MODTM

Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center unveils STAAT MODTM prefabricated ICU inpatient wing to care for COVID-19 and critical patients.

Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center today became the first hospital in the nation to install STAAT MODTM (Strategic, Temporary, Acuity-Adaptable Treatment) modular units to care for COVID-19 and other critically ill patients. These units, designed by HGA and prefabricated and assembled by The Boldt Company, arrived on site April 25, were assembled and connected to the hospital infrastructure, and are ready to receive their first COVID-19 patients this month.

STAAT Mod interior Adventist Maryland

In partnership with the Maryland Department of General Services, Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center sought ways to quickly provide additional ICU-bed capacity. This durable solution provides quality care to the surrounding community throughout the uncertain curve of infection.

“Maryland is proud that Fort Washington Medical Center is the first hospital in the country to receive this ICU-level of care unit,” said Governor Larry Hogan. “This newly constructed unit is another example of increasing hospital capacity for care of patients suffering from COVID-19 in Prince George’s County.”

Unlike other fabricated structures designed for lower acuity patients, the innovative STAAT MOD is highly engineered to hospital-quality environments. It is a critical care inpatient unit with Airborne Infection Isolation Rooms (AIIR) that provide increased safety for both patients and caregivers.

Twelve modules were installed adjacent to the hospital offering 16 private ICU rooms with isolation and adequate support space. The process to install these STAAT MODs took two weeks to complete. The installation required a large crane to lift the modules in place in very precise movements that must be rehearsed to ensure accuracy. Each module weighs about 25,000 pounds and there is only one chance to install it correctly. Once in place, utilities, connecting mods, medical gas supply hook ups, electrical, building ramps, and roofing can be completed.

“COVID-19 is an unprecedented event and we are both grateful and proud to be able to bring the cutting-edge solution to our Fort Washington location,” said Terry Forde, President and CEO, Adventist HealthCare. “Being able to deploy an ICU-level facility and care in three weeks gives our team an opportunity to help even more people in our area who need care so urgently right now.”

The STAAT MOD has a 10-year useful life, durable enough to support a longer-term strategy. The space allows the medical center the ability to separate patient populations to safely return to elective procedures without sacrificing clinical quality, safety, efficiency, or the dignity of any patient.

STAAT M Overview:
  • Design developed and tested through Virtual Reality (VR) simulation exercises by experts, including critical care nurses trained in COVID-19 protocols, a hospital environment specialist in infection control, and Lean process engineers for rapid construction and delivery.
  • Provides hospital quality clinical care for infection control, patient isolation, access to life-saving technology, and isolation rooms if needed for extended periods of time.
  • HGA and The Boldt Company partnered with Tweet/Garot (mechanical subcontractor), Faith Technologies (electrical subcontractor), and IMEG (medical equipment planning) to develop the only quick-ship, prefabricated critical care units that provide hospital-quality care to patients suffering from coronavirus, and safe environments for healthcare workers. The Boldt Company worked with regional subcontractors to install the STAAT MODs.
  • For the safety of caregivers, The CDC recommends AIIR for infectious patients undergoing aerosol-generating procedures. Private rooms with dedicated air handling are best practice when possible, as this virus is spread via respiratory droplets or from droplet contact on surfaces. See CDC guidelines.
  • The STAAT MOD includes design features that are critical to quality in healthcare environments and supported by evidence and research in infection control, wellbeing, visibility, efficacy, and deployment.

“Building in a controlled environment allows us to set and achieve aggressive production schedules that improve quality for the end user and maintain safety for our team members,” said Dave Kievet, Chief Operating Officer of The Boldt Company. “By standardizing the process we can increase speed to market and help save lives,” Kievet said.

“The STAAT MOD answers the escalating demand for more treatment space and we are excited to unveil the mods at Adventist Fort Washington Medical Center,” said Kurt Spiering, national healthcare market sector leader at HGA. “This engineered, modular design of critical care environments with hospital quality puts the safety of the patient and healthcare worker first while still accomplishing the speed and capacity of other solutions.”

Adventist HealthCare Fort Washington Medical Center provides compassionate, quality care to the communities of Fort Washington, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, Accokeek, and the surrounding areas.

The Boldt Company has been serving the healthcare market for decades, building hospitals and clinics nationwide. Construction teams have prefabricated elements of customized construction and are now employing that knowledge to create self-contained modules.

HGA is a leader in design for the healthcare market, with a portfolio including some of the nation’s most significant and complex hospital projects. The design of the STAAT MOD is based on clinical protocol in dealing with infectious diseases.

Spokespersons from Fort Washington Medical Center, HGA, and the Boldt Company are available for interviews.

Learn more about the STAAT MODSolution, including renderings and product details. Find the STAAT MODmedia kit here. See the press release on BusinessWire.

Media inquires about STAAT MODcan contact Michelle Nelsen, PR for HGA (p: 612.758.4407) or Mary Schmidt, PR for The Boldt Company (p: 920.284.7165)

HGA has created a hub for our insights and reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic as architects, engineers, interior designers, and problem solvers. Follow the conversation here.