CHI Health, Creighton University Medical Center at Bergan Campus, School of Medicine

The new CHI Health Creighton University Medical Center Bergan Mercy merges Creighton University Medical Center with CHI Health Bergan Mercy Medical Center. Together they form a contemporary, leading academic health system including an ambulatory clinic, medical school, teaching hospital and Level-I trauma center.

Unifying two cultures through design

Recognizing the challenges presented from the operational and cultural differences between the academic side and the private healthcare side of the merger, we developed solutions that allowed them to coalesce into a single academic health system. We maximized flexibility of the design by including touch-down spaces that are available for medical teams and teams of residents to use as needed. This makes maximum use of the space and ultimately produces a more efficient design. Doctors and residents also work out of shared office spaces, encouraging collaboration and access to faculty.

Converting medical office building into school of medicine

Floors two through six of a medical office building were fully renovated to house Creighton University School of Medicine’s academic and administrative space. A mix of collaborative spaces and cutting-edge care environments allows physicians to grow in their specialties by working with others, while students learn clinical techniques from the very best. Patients also benefit from a modern, wellness-focused approach to care.

The clinic building is designed to foster care by inter-professional teams. It features eight pods of 17 rooms, each arranged around a centralized work area. Patients enter from a public-facing hallway that’s intended to be less busy than those in many clinics. Staff enters through the back from the work areas, where students, residents and staff can consult on cases outside the earshot of patients.

Incorporating the medical school into the private facility also required creating room for students in patient areas – space for collaboration and learning in a real-life setting. The new ICU rooms are much larger than those at the pre-renovation Bergan or Creighton University Medical Center in order to accommodate not only family members and the extra technology and equipment in use today, but also the groups of medical students, residents and others making rounds as part of the hospital’s new teaching role.