2009-10-02 21:58:05 -

El Camino Hospital, the hospital of Silicon Valley, will celebrate the completion of the new $470 million technologically and seismically advanced acute care hospital building on Saturday, Oct. 3, with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony followed by an open house for the Silicon Valley community. Patient admission to the five-story facility is planned for Nov. 15.

“El Camino Hospital made a promise seven years ago to create the community health care destination of Silicon Valley. We are pleased today we can demonstrate how we have kept that promise while providing a state-of-the-art hospital that will enhance the quality of patient care in the community,” said Ken Graham, CEO, El Camino Hospital. “We focused on quality, safety, innovation and the patient experience when

designing the facility. Our activation teams worked around the clock to complete it on time and within budget.”

El Camino Hospital employees, medical staff, volunteers and community leaders will gather in front of the new facility at 10 a.m. on Oct. 3 for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting event. Remarks will be made by Ken King, vice president of facilities, El Camino Hospital; Wes Alles, El Camino Hospital board chairperson; Michael Podlone, M.D.; Ken Graham, chief executive officer, El Camino Hospital; and Senator Elaine Kontominas Alquist (D-San Jose).

The Community Open House will take place from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. on Oct. 3 and will include.

- Behind-the-scenes, self-guided tours of the new ‘smart’ hospital
- Hourly health lectures from physicians and experts
- More than 15 information booths with healthy tips, mini-screenings, interactive exhibits and opportunities to meet staff and doctors
- Entertainment and snacks
- Healthy cooking demonstrations


According to King, who led the construction project since the groundbreaking in June 2006, the activation team has worked closely with nurses, surgeons and physicians on the design of the new facility and throughout the construction process.

“The new hospital makes the most of safety, quality and innovation initiatives such as distinct work and patient areas which maximize sanitation and cleanliness, patient rooms complete with real-time medical record bedside computers, and overall room design and equipment placement that medical staff has advised on over the past several years,” said King.

Key features of the new hospital are.

- Advanced seismic safety design: The 450,000 square foot, five story hospital is among the few in the state that is built from the ground up to meet SB 1953, the state’s seismic-safety standard for hospitals. Inside the hospital walls are express elevators with special alarms, alerts and safety features that protect patients and staff during a quake.


- ‘Smart’ hospital information management innovations:

Biometric palm scanning patient registration

- Computer physician order entry (CPOE) built from ECH’s existing program launched originally in 1971 as the first hospital CPOE system internationally
- Medical grade bedside computers with ‘real-time’ medical record processing
- Advanced electronic patient beds with built-in translators for 22 languages
- Electronic ceiling lifts that help staff move patients more safely and easily
- Robots that contribute to a cleaner environment by moving independently throughout the hospital carrying medical supplies and patient meals
- Telepresence capabilities to link ECH medical staff with colleagues across locations as well as peers at other organizations for secure discussion of patient treatment options and diagnoses
- Wall-to-wall wireless technology

The latest generation medical technologies, including.

- A cardiac cath lab with biplane angiography which can look at the heart from two different viewpoints, leading to increased accuracy and improved safety
- High performance digital imaging systems in the radiology department that provide faster, more accurate results for patient exams
- Designated robotic surgery rooms that include the most up-to-date robotic surgery devices for minimally invasive procedures
- Point of care lab testing which means reduced waiting for test results


The hospital has been designed to create an enhanced wellness environment for patients and families through features such as.

- Natural light throughout the hospital; private, quiet patient rooms, large enough for family members to stay overnight on convertible sleeper chairs
- Family friendly lounges on every patient floor that offer a relaxing space for guests to enjoy coffee or tea, read, watch TV or check email at the computer stations
- In-room Internet service, including patient access to interactive education modules and their records
- Guest services program for any personal requests such as pet care coordination and personal patient liaisons
- Personalized food selections through electronic order entry and help from a host
- Healthy food options, integrating local produce
- A labyrinth and bamboo garden for peaceful walks as well as a meditation room for quiet reflection
- Wayfinding kiosks and design features that make it easy to locate a specific department


Please visit the multimedia gallery, including downloadable photos of the new facility at the following link: www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6064592&lang=en :



About El Camino Hospital

El Camino Hospital, ranked among the top five percent of hospitals nationwide for clinical excellence by HealthGrades for five consecutive years, is an acute care, 542-bed, not-for-profit and locally-governed organization with campuses in Mountain View and Los Gatos, Calif. In addition to a state-of-the-art emergency department, key medical specialty focuses include cancer care, heart and vascular, neuroscience, genomic medicine, orthopedic and spine and women’s health.

El Camino Hospital has delivered the highest level of medical services to the communities of Silicon Valley for more than four decades. The hospital is also recognized as a national leader in the use of health information technology to promote patient safety, including computerized order entry, electronic medical records and wireless communications. El Camino Hospital was the pioneer hospital for computerized physician order entry (CPOE), having started its program in 1971. Additionally El Camino Hospital is an accredited Mega Heart and Certified Chest Pain Center and a Santa Clara County Certified STEMI Receiving Center, and a Joint Commission certified stroke center.

El Camino Hospital has been recognized for its clinical excellence with awards such as: Gold Seal of Approval from The Joint Commission for Primary Stroke Center; ANCC Magnet Recognition for Nursing Care and Bay Area Parent Magazine’s Award for Best Hospital or Clinic.

To learn more about El Camino Hospital, the services it provides in Mountain View and Los Gatos, and its commitment to doing “Whatever it Takes” to provide the best and safest patient care, visit our Web site at www.elcaminohospital.org : .

For a physician referral, visit our Web site or call the El Camino Health Line at 800-216-5556.


El Camino HospitalJudy Twitchell, 650-988-7767 Judy_Twitchell@elcaminohospital.org : mailto:Judy_Twitchell@elcaminohospital.org orEdelmanHeather
Harper, 415-533-1001 Heather.Harper@edelman.com : mailto:Heather.Harper@edelman.com