Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital

Enhancing Care Through Space Flexibility

Located in a summer tourist destination in coastal Oregon, Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital (SNLH) is flexibly designed to accommodate fluctuating patient volumes as the rural community’s population quadruples during the summer, allowing clinical spaces to serve multiple functions when needed.

Most notably to meet seasonal ED volume, HGA located several rooms that perform outpatient functions during the day adjacent to the ED so they can flex into that department in the evening. The ED also can expand into several diagnostic imaging rooms that serve DEXA and ultrasound functions during the day. Dual room entries enable the spaces to convert seamlessly to onstage and offstage ED treatment spaces.

The inpatient unit similarly provides flexibility, where all patient rooms are sized to ICU standards and cross-corridor doors enable two ICU/acute-care rooms to serve postpartum functions when demand in the birthing unit exceeds the capacity of the two labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum rooms.

The need for flexibility also shaped the hospital’s public spaces. The dining area near the main entry doubles as lobby seating, and an adjacent conference room accommodates overflow space during busy times. In addition, the traditional hospital gift shop was re-imagined as a kiosk that extends from an alcove into the main public corridor.

Architecturally, the hospital reflects the community’s rural location featuring dense mountain forests and coastline. The setting is showcased in the exterior and interior design as a journey through these distinct ecosystems, beginning with a “forest” of columns supporting the drop-off canopy and lending privacy to waiting areas near the entry. The journey transitions through images and textures inspired by Oregon’s coastline, and ends with striking views from inpatient rooms that overlook Devil’s Lake.

Since completion in summer 2020, the critical access hospital has enabled SNLH to expand its services. From flexible spaces that reduced duplicate square footage and costs to regional architectural detailing that welcomes patients, the campus will serve evolving community needs well into the future.