Delnor Hospital unveils new addition

Pale-celery-and-sand walls. Natural light in every room and hallway. Bath and Body Works sample shampoos in the restrooms. TVs with 42-inch screens. A pull-out sleeper couch if you have an extra guest.

A patient in one of the 52 new rooms at Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva could be forgiven for thinking they are in a nice hotel instead.

Hospital officials unveiled the new 100,000-square-foot bed tower addition to members of the media Wednesday afternoon, and business and civic leaders Wednesday night. The public can take a look at an open house from noon to 2 p.m. Sunday.

"We thought about what would create a great patient space," said Lore Bogolin, the hospital's chief nursing officer.

The three-story space will house patients from the oncology, orthopedics, neurology, general surgery and renal care departments.

The new rooms likely won't be put into use until mid-July because the Illinois Department of Health has not done its final inspection. That is expected in mid-June.

Construction on the $45 million addition on the west side of the hospital began in 2006.

The colors on the walls, the windows in every room, the waterfall feature in a patient lobby -- all were picked for their soothing, homey influence. Those sleeper couches mean family can stay longer with a patient; research shows having family or friends around speeds healing, Bobolin said.

A large clock on a wall across from the patient was put in at patients' suggestion because a survey noted patients often feel like they lose track of time while in the hospital. Even the placement of the wall-mounted hand-sanitizer dispenser was carefully considered; they put it in a spot where the patient can see that workers are using it as they enter and exit the room.

Each room is 305 square feet and private. The private rooms in the rest of the hospital average 118 square feet.

The design also is for employees, too. Each room features a ceiling-mounted motorized sling to lift patients out of their beds. And each room is exactly the same layout so workers can expect to find equipment and supplies easily and quickly; same with the two nursing stations.

Once this wing opens, Delnor will start converting its remaining semi-private rooms to private, and redecorating and outfitting all patient areas to match the new wing.