Children's Health

Final Steel Beam Placed on New Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

206 Bed Hospital Slated for Completion in 2011

Children, families, donors, physicians and staff celebrated a major construction milestone today as the final steel beam was placed on top of the new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.

“The new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital reflects the value our community places on children’s health care,” said Richard C. Breon, President & CEO, Spectrum Health. “Our community understands that children need a level of care designed especially for them. Our new children’s hospital will be here to meet their unique health care needs for generations to come.”

Supported by nearly $103 million in generous community support, special features of the new hospital include:

  • A child-friendly atmosphere designed to make kids feel comfortable and safe in a hospital dedicated exclusively for children
  • A healing environment celebrating the region’s natural beauty of water, land, sky and sun
  • An outdoor garden accessible from the main lobby
  • Artwork and design elements created by children with the involvement of area artists
  • Spacious, private inpatient rooms where parents may stay overnight
  • Room for play and entertainment to foster healing and hope
  • Quiet spaces and a chapel for all faiths

“We are raising the bar for children’s health care with this new facility and for the people who will work inside it,” said Bob Connors, MD, president, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. “The new environment will enable us to meet the distinct needs of children more effectively. The new hospital will enable us to be innovative and provide safe, quality care. The community entrusts their children to us as evidenced by generous gifts of nearly $103 million.”

The 14-floor, 444,000 square feet, $286 million, 206-bed children’s hospital is transforming the skyline on Michigan Street’s “Medical Mile” in Grand Rapids.’

Adjacent facilities include:

“It has been exciting and heart warming to be part of the evolution of children’s health care in Grand Rapids,” said Helen DeVos. “The region’s children’s hospital has certainly grown up. If you look at this new building through the eyes of a child you can’t help but be inspired.”

Floor by Floor Highlights

  • Level D: Underground valet parking for the emergency department, meeting rooms and office space for clinical staff
  • Level C: Emergency department, diagnostic imaging and sedation services
  • Level A: Surgery, anesthesia, cardiac catheterization
  • Level 1: A two-story main lobby with three entrances including a circular driveway drop-off, access from the Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital lobby, and a bridge from the
    35 Michigan ambulatory care center
  • Level 3: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with 40 private rooms connected to the adjacent third floor NICU in Butterworth Hospital
  • Level 4: Mechanical and ventilation
  • Level 5: A shell space floor for future expansion
  • Level 6: A 24-bed, inpatient medical/surgical floor with 370 square feet private rooms
  • Level 7: A 24-bed inpatient surgical floor for children recovering from neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, general surgery or kidney transplantation
  • Level 8: A 24-bed pediatric intensive care unit for children with life-threatening illness, traumatic injuries or recovering from major operations
  • Level 9: A 24-bed medical/surgical unit devoted to children with cancer and those recovering from bone marrow transplant or neurosurgery. The epilepsy monitoring unit will also be housed on this floor.
  • Level 10: Outpatient pediatric hematology/oncology, bone marrow transplant and infusion therapy clinic will be housed here. Diagnostic programs for cardiology including echocardiograms and stress tests. West Michigan’s only pediatric sleep lab will also be on this level.
  • Level 11: Family areas will include a 600-square-foot multi-faith chapel, multipurpose rooms and space for child life activities such as therapeutic recreation, medical play, and arts and crafts. This floor will also include exercise space, family laundry, kitchenette facilities and four family sleep rooms to accommodate extended families.

A new Web site devoted to the new Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital was unveiled today. Visit devoschildrens.org/2011 for additional information and ongoing updates about the new hospital.

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is West Michigan’s largest children’s hospital, serving children and families throughout a 37-county region. A teaching hospital, it includes more than 150 pediatric specialty physicians uniquely skilled in providing medical and surgical care to children in more than 40 pediatric specialties. The hospital cares for more than 7,600 inpatients and 190,000 outpatients annually. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is committed to caring for children and families with compassion, excellence and innovation.’ Visit http://www.devoschildrens.org/ for more information.