Saturday, November 14, 2009

Bernstein & Associates Featured on Therapeutic Environment Website

Well known healthcare design firm Bernstein & Associates, Architects has been featured on the therapeutic website found at www.therapeuticenvironment.com.

The Therapeutic Environment website which can be found at www.therapeuticenvironment.com has been launched as a tool for the healthcare industry.

Those consumers and administrators interested in the Therapeutic Environment will find this site very useful.

Therapeutic Environment offers consumers, facility managers purchasing agents, and business owners a comprehensive directory for all products and services needed to design build and equip healthcare and laboratory facilities.

What you fill find on Therapeutic Environment:- Therapeutic Environment Design Services for the Early Planning and Design Phases - Therapeutic Environment Construction Services for the Construction Build-Out - Therapeutic Environment Project Management Services to Manage the Design and Construction Process - Therapeutic Environment Building Products - Therapeutic Environment Equipment - Therapeutic Environment Furniture - Therapeutic Environment Software

For more information about the therapeutic environment, visit www.therapeuticenvironment.com .

For Medical Office see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-medical-offices/

For more information about hospital design and medical office design, visit Bernstein & Associates, Architects at www.bernarch.com.

Monday, October 19, 2009

New Article on USP 797 Compliance Published

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article about USP 797 compliance. The article was published on USP 797 (www.usp797.org), the website focused on design, construction and operation of USP 797 compliant pharmacies.

The article discusses the following:

- An interesting survey of USP 797 compliance in the United States in 2009 was recently published in Pharmacy Purchasing & Products magazine (www.pppmag.com).
- The survey looks at various areas of USP 797 compliance.
- It begins with results of the most basic question: how many directors of pharmacy have read the USP 97 regulation
- Partial or full pharmacy compliance with USP 797 has also grown
- Full compliance with USP 797 is measured differently
- The approach of regulatory bodies towards USP 797
- State boards of pharmacy and USP 797 compliance
- JCAHO and USP 797 compliance
- Hospitals reporting a patient incident involving a compounding error during the past five years
- Continuing improvement in USP 797 compliance in pharmacies in the United States, as well as increased focus on USP 797 compliance by state pharmacy boards and JCAHO.

About the Author:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA is the principal of Bernstein & Associates, Architects (www.bernarch.com) and president of Equipment Planning, Inc. (www.equipmentplanning.org). This architecture firm and equipment planning firm are well-known for pharmacy planning, pharmacy design and pharmacy architecture, including a sub-specialty in usp 797 compliant pharmacy design and construction. These pharmacy consulting firms have designed and equipment planned over twenty new pharmacies, pharmacy renovations, and pharmacy relocations in the past five years. The firm's principal --- William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA --- is a well known pharmacy architect and pharmacy equipment planner. He has written extensively on pharmacy design and pharmacy construction including usp 797 compliant pharmacies. Mr. Bernstein's pharmacy design articles can be found on www.pharmacydesign.org, and his usp 797 articles can be found on the usp 797 website www.usp797.org.

For USP 797 Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-usp-797-compliant-pharmacy-design-and-consulting/

For more information about pharmacy planning, pharmacy design and pharmacy construction, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A, NY, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

For more information about pharmacy equipment planning, and pharmacy automation equipment specifications and planning, contact Equipment Planning, Inc. at:

Equipment Planning, Inc.
59 West 19th Street - 6A, NY, NY 10011
T: 212.463.08200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@equipmentplanning.org
www.equipmentplanning.org

New Article Published on How Office Based Design Regulations Impact Medical Office Design

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article on medical office design, entitled “Impact of the New Office Based Surgery Regulations on Design of Medical Offices”.

- Over the last 20 years, as the practice of office based surgery has increased, so have the regulations adapted by state health departments.
- The goal of these new office based surgery regulations
- Medical staff must now follow certain regulations when performing invasive or surgical procedures that use more than minimal sedation.
- a large part of these new guidelines pertains to the design, planning and construction of an office based surgery center
- Each state has its own rules and regulations governing medical procedures performed in the office: some, like Florida, spell out their own requirements, while others, including New York as of July 14, 2009, have medical offices turn to outside accreditation agencies.
- In New York, the three organizations selected by the government for accreditation are the American Association for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF), the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), and the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO).
- Other states add Medicare Guidelines as an option for certification. While these various regulatory agencies agree on most of the criteria needed for office based surgery accreditation, they each emphasize different points and have different specific rules and environmental requirements, so it is important to understand the differences between the various regulations prior to selecting one for application on a particular project.
- Excerpts from guidelines provided
- AAAASF excerpts re Office Based Design
- AAAHC excerpts re: Office Based Design
- JCAHO excerpts re: Office Based Design
- Conclusion: important differences between the regulations of three main accreditation agencies --- AAAASF, AAAHC, and JCAHO --- in terms of the design of an accredited office based surgery facility. The individual regulations should be carefully studied to evaluate which if the three regulations is most appropriate for a particular practice and facility.
The article was written by the firm’s principle, a well-known expert in green healthcare design, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning healthcare architectural firm specializing in healthcare design, including medical office design, as well as how the new Office Based Surgery guidelines impact medical office design. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of sustainable healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Office Based Surgery Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-office-based-surgery/

For more information about medical office design, as well as how the new Office Based Surgery guidelines impact medical office design, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA – Principal
Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Telephone: 212.463.8200
Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Architecture Firm Featured in RSNA News in Article on Radiology Planning and Design

For Immediate Release (10/15/09)

Architecture Firm Featured in RSNA News in Article on Radiology Planning and Design

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased that the firm’s principle, radiology architect William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, has been featured in the latest edition of RSNA News, a monthly publication by the Radiological Society of North America.

The article is entitled “Radiology Architects Forecast the Facility of the Future”, and has been published in the October 2009 edition of RSNA News. To view this article on radiology architects, go to: http://www.rsna.org/Publications/rsnanews/October-2009/RadiologyArchitects_feature.cfm.

Amongst the interesting points made in the article about planning and designing a radiology facility, whether a hospital radiology department or an outpatient imaging center, are the following:
- Radiology facilities of the future will look different from those of the present
- There is a need to look ahead, when planning a radiology facility.
- Amongst the factors driving change in radiology design: “changes in practice, technology, referrals and revenue streams”
- Convergence of surgical and medical imaging, both in full blown OR’s as well as in procedure rooms with less invasive procedures
- Trend towards additional control rooms and additional electronic equipment rooms in surgical suites
- The importance of working with radiology architects: "It is extremely important to work with a radiology architect and facilities management personnel when redesigning or building new spaces," said Dr. Horii, a professor of radiology at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center in Philadelphia
- Importance of proper reading room design – affects diagnostic speed, accuracy and overall work performance. Focus on reading room ergonomics, as well as how radiologists work today.
- Other key issues for radiology design are good lighting, focus on workflow, and reduction of noise
- Location of radiology equipment , as well as turnover rate, are key factors in efficient utilization of radiology equipment
- Radiology planner William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, is quoted extensively in the article, on subjects such as timing of radiology equipment selection in the design process, infrastructure support for radiology facilities, universal room design, flexibility in design process, consideration of equipment entry at the beginning of project as well as equipment replacement in the future, and the value that radiology architects bring to the process.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm and specializing in the design and planning of radiology departments. The firm’s principle, Mr. Bernstein, is a well-known architect and radiology consultant in radiology department planning and design. Mr. Bernstein is a graduate of the Yale University School of Architecture, who has specialized in healthcare design and construction for over 30 years.
The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise in sustainable healthcare facilities, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Radiology Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-radiology/

For more information about radiology department planning, design and construction, please contact:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Telephone: 212.463.8200
Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Architect Selected to Design New Office Based Surgery Facility

Bernstein & Associates, Architects (www.bernarch.com) has been selected to design a new, private medical office suite, to conform to the new office-based surgery regulations.

Many states have adopted the new office based surgery regulations into law. Specific regulations and deadlines vary by state.

New York State office based surgery regulations, as an example, were adapted into law through NYS Public Health Law section 230-d. This law pertains to "Licensees” (physicians, physician assistants and specialist assistants) who perform invasive or surgical procedures using more than minimal sedation.

The deadline for office based surgery facilities to conform to the new regulation occurred on July 14, 2009. So a licensee who fails to practice in an accredited setting after July 14, 2009 may be guilty of professional misconduct. Regulated practices, as defined in the new law, include any "surgical or other invasive procedure, requiring general anesthesia, moderate sedation, or deep sedation, and any liposuction procedure, where such surgical or other invasive procedure or liposuction is performed by a licensee in a location other than a hospital [...] excluding minor procedures and procedures requiring minimal sedation."

In New York State, as in many states, practitioners have the option of conforming to one of three accreditation bodies, each of which has its own set of guidelines: The Joint Commission (JCAHO), the American Association for the Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgical Facilities (AAAASF), or the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in hospital design, healthcare design and medical office design. Within the specialty of medical office design, this healthcare architecture firm has developed an understanding and expertise in design medical offices to meet the new office based surgery guidelines.

For Office Based Surgery Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-office-based-surgery/

For more information about the office based surgery, please contact well known healthcare architect, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

New Article on Mail Order Pharmacy Design Published

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article about mail order pharmacy design. The article was published on Pharmacy Design (www.pharmacydesign.org), the website focused on pharmacy design.

The article discusses the following pharmacy design concepts for a mail order pharmacy:

- an aesthetically pleasing pharmacy environment, combined with a focus on pharmacy workflow and pharmacy functionality
- creation of pharmacy “pod” workstations
- pharmacy pod storage
- pharmacy pod touch screen computer
- use of pharmacy counting machines, located close to each pod for increased prescription workflow
- an efficient pharmacy storage and pharmacy shelving system to house drug overstock
- provision of excess pharmacy shelving to accommodate company and stock volume growth
- custom controlled substance cabinets disguised to look identical to regular cabinets to prevent theft in the event of a break in. These cabinets are located in a central, clear area for constant monitoring and easy access.
- provision for future addition of pharmacy automation technology, as well as the addition of new pharmacist/technician teams.

To view this article: go to www.pharmacydesign.org

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, *Bernstein & Assoc., Architects - PLLC* is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories, with a sub-specialty in the design and construction of USP 797-compliant pharmacy facilities. Over the last three years, the firm has designed over (20) usp 797-compliant pharmacies.

For Pharmacy Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For more information about pharmacy design and construction, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, AIA
Principal
Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Impact of Recession Easing on Hospitals

From a story on Reuters, 19 Aug 2009:

Thomson Reuters Study Finds Impact of Recession Easing on U.S. Hospitals

Total Margins, Liquidity Increase Significantly From Third Quarter of 2008; 30 Percent of Hospitals Remain Unprofitable

Ann Arbor, MI - August 19, 2009 - The median profit margin of U.S. hospitals increased from 0.17 percent in the third quarter of 2008 to 3.1 percent in the first quarter of 2009, according to an analysis of hospital finances published today by Thomson Reuters.

The recovery has been broad-based, with all classes of hospitals - small, medium and large community hospitals, teaching hospitals and major teaching hospitals - showing positive median margins.

The study tracks two dozen key financial indicators, using proprietary and public data to dissect the balance sheets of more than 400 hospitals nationwide. It evaluates trends in revenue and profit, employment levels, closures, inpatient volume, days cash on hand, and charity expenses to gauge the fiscal health of the nation's hospitals.

Following are the key findings of the analysis:

Total Margins Increase: Hospitals' median total margins were near zero the last time this analysis was conducted, which captured data through Q3 2008. In Q1 2009, all classes of hospitals had positive operating margins, reaching an average of 3.1 percent.
30 Percent of Hospitals Still in the Red: In Q1 2009, 30 percent of hospitals had negative profit margins. This is an improvement from Q3 2008, when 50 percent of hospitals were operating in the red.

Liquidity Holding Steady: Amidst fears of a hospital credit crunch, it appears that hospitals' "median days cash on hand" is holding steady. On average, hospitals had 90 days cash on hand in Q1 2009, a decline from the highs seen in early 2007, but an increase from Q3 2008.
Running at 90 Percent Capacity: In Q1 2009, more than 90 percent of licensed beds were in operation in a typical hospital. This number has held relatively steady since 2005.

Labor Costs Down: Hospitals have cut labor costs by approximately 3 percent year-over-year through Q1 2009, while non-labor-related expenses have decreased by approximately 2 percent year-over-year.
"The financial situation has improved dramatically for U.S. hospitals," said Gary Pickens, chief research officer for the Healthcare & Science business of Thomson Reuters and lead author of the study. "When we published our first analysis of hospital economic health in the fall of 2008, hospitals were facing unprecedented economic stress and staring down a real crisis. Through a combination of aggressive cost controls and overall improvement in the economy, we're beginning to see a recovery, but it will be critical to watch these metrics to make sure that recovery is sustainable.

For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com

For Hospital Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-hospitals/

Sunday, August 9, 2009

New Cardiology Business Website Features Equipment, Products & Services

Cardiology Business (http://www.cardiologybusiness.com/) is a new website that has been developed to assist cardiology administrators and cardiologists in creating state-of-the-art facilities for their cardiology department, cardiology clinic and/or cardiology office.

The site features extensive resources for cardiology equipment, cardiology software, cardiology products and cardiology services.

This cardiology website also features articles by cardiology consultants, such as well-known cardiology architect, William N. Bernstein, AIA, principal of the healthcare architecture firm of Bernstein and Associates, Architects.

For Cardiology Design see,  http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-cardiology/

Additional topics on Cardiology Business include: Cardiology Planning and Facility Design Services, Facility Construction Services, Cardiology Project Management Services, Cardiology Products, Cardiology Equipment, Cardiology Suite Furniture, and Cardiology Software.
Cardiology Business
CardiologyBusiness.com
59 W 19, NY, NY 10011
P: 212.463.0800
F: 212.463.9898

Sunday, August 2, 2009

Pharmacy Design Website Established

For Immediate Release (08/01/09)

Pharmacy Design Website Features Latest Information for the Hospital Pharmacy and Clinical Pharmacy.

Looking to design a pharmacy, purchase pharmacy equipment, or hire a pharmacy architect? Then you may be interested in a new pharmacy website which focuses on the all of the components that go into designing, building and maintaining a state-of-the-art pharmacy.

An important component of today’s pharmacy is pharmacy automation. This is one area that Pharmacy Design (www.pharmacydesign.org) features, including the latest pharmacy equipment and pharmacy machines.

Another area of focus is trends in pharmacy architecture, pharmacy layout design, and pharmacy interior design. As an example, a recent article published on the site, written by well-known pharmacy designer William N. Bernstein, AIA --- of the prominent pharmacy design group Bernstein & Associates, Architects --- explores how design for pharmacy can contribute to the efficiency and success of the pharmacy operation.

An additional area of focus is USP 797 design.

For Pharmacy Design see,  http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For further information about pharmacies design, visit the pharmacy design website:
Pharmacy Design at www.pharmacydesign.org.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Architecture Firm Spins Off Equipment Planning Services into New Firm

For Immediate Release (07/01/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce that it has established a new equipment planning firm to serve its existing hospital, healthcare and laboratory clients. The firm has a history of over nineteen years of equipment planning expertise.

The new company --- Equipment Planning, Inc. --- is dedicated to providing quality equipment planning services to a wide range of facilities around the country. We serve a variety of clients, from large to small, public to private, medical to non-medical. The company prides itself on its ability to combine the best business and design practices available today and on its talented and diverse staff. Having had years of experience in equipment planning and project management, we can guide your facility through the process of re-evaluation and re-installation of equipment, making the job easier and the outcome better.

Catering to Your Needs

Equipment Planning, Inc. is prepared to cover any and all of your equipment planning needs. Our services include, but are not limited to, equipment and facility assessment, budgeting, schematic design, drafting of construction documents, assistance procuring and installing equipment, and planning for improved workflow. We can work with you from beginning to end of a project, or we can help just where you need it most; we can manage and oversee the entire equipment planning process, or we can work as consultants to facilitate it.

A Unique Perspective

As a firm dedicated to seeing the big picture, Equipment Planning, Inc. does not just seek to satisfy its customers: we seek to exceed their expectations. Our knowledge and expertise stretch far beyond equipment planning, so we can help you both meet the necessary expectations and improve your facilities in the process. Better spaces can mean better workflow, so we will do everything we can to acquire and install better equipment as well as design and retool the spaces to meet your ever-changing needs.

Practice Makes Perfect

Without experience, we wouldn’t be able to provide you with the comprehensive services that are available today. Our experience allows us to provide you with some of the most knowledgeable and resourceful techniques available today.

Cost Savings

Equipment Planning, Inc. also seeks to minimize costs and save you money. We benefit from having happy clients, so one of our most important goals is not only to help you acquire the best equipment at the cheapest prices, but to keep your operational costs to a minimum. Our experience with project management and design for improved workflow qualify us to recommend cutting-edge technologies and design options that will save you money in the long-term.

An Objective Approach

Unlike many equipment planning services, Equipment Planning, Inc. seeks only to benefit our clients: Equipment Planning, Inc. team members do not have ties to equipment manufacturers, vendors, or contractors. We do not accept gifts, not even lunch, from these suppliers, which allows us to provide absolute objectivity when selecting equipment and installation services. Our only goal is to make each project as simple and inexpensive as possible for the client.

The president of the company, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, is a well known healthcare and laboratory architect. He was educated at the Yale University School of Architecture, where he received a Master of Architecture. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, American College of Healthcare Architects, Construction Specification Institute and Project Management Institute. He is one of the few architects in the United States to receive the American Hospital Association Construction Management Certificate. He has written many articles on hospital and healthcare design and construction, and his healthcare and lab projects have won numerous awards and been published widely.

For further information about equipment planning services for your company or institution, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA –
President
Equipment Planning, Inc.
59 West 19th St. - 6A, NY, NY 10011
P: 212-463-0800
F: 212-463-9898
E: info@EquipmentPlanning.org
W: www.EquipmentPlanning.org

Monday, June 29, 2009

What to Do Today to Maximize Your ARRA Funding

What to Do Today to Maximize Your ARRA Funding
Ian Janer and William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
June 25th, 2009

Overview of ARRA: Opportunities and Challenges

The American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) has been instituted under President Obama to encourage economic stimulus. For healthcare providers, the bill seeks to encourage advancement and development by providing incentives for converting from paper records to EMRs (electronic medical records) and for better patient care through improvements in data infrastructure. In order for hospitals and other healthcare providers to maximize their ARRA funding and ultimately cut costs, it is essential that they begin the process of upgrading their systems now to reach the first deadline at the end of 2010.
Another important motivator in adapting these technologies is the nature of the diminishing incentive rates. Every year the incentives will decrease for those facilities still attempting to get up to par with their peers, and any facility that has not adapted EMR by 2015 will begin to see penalties taken out of their Medicare refunds. With the deadline approaching so soon, healthcare providers that haven’t already adopted EMR must act now to see the necessary improvements.

The Realities of Meaningful Use

The government has allotted $77B dollars for medical incentives, and the largest payments will be made to hospitals and practices that are up to the standards of “meaningful use” by the end of 2010. While the term “meaningful use” generally means clear improvements in workflow and patient care thanks to the adoption of EMR, the official definition is still being determined by the CCHIT (Certification Commission for HIT). However, there are a few digital technologies that are expected to be necessary to prove “meaningful use.” Among other systems, hospitals should have PACS (picture archiving and communication systems), CDSS (clinical decision support systems), and, most importantly, CPOE (computerized physician order entry) systems installed throughout their facilities. These electronic methods are essential to the type of patient care improvements that are expected to come out of the ARRA.

Gap Assessment

To be able to make the switch over to digital, medical professionals should go through their workflow and search for gaps: do nurses have to go back and forth between the patients’ rooms and nurses’ stations to enter data? One of the purposes of EMR is to minimize physical workflow constraints, so this would be one area to improve. Another area to investigate is whether the information technologies are available throughout the facility or just in one department: it’s essential that the entire facility be up to standards to receive ARRA funding. What if the IT system goes down? All healthcare providers should have system redundancies (backup computers, servers, workstations, etc.) in case something happens to part of the system – a hospital should never be in a situation where all of radiology is on a single server that could crash without having a backup. The last area to investigate before preparing for the transition is staff readiness: it is important that the doctors, nurses, administrators, and other staff members are behind the transition and prepared to proceed smoothly. The best way to ensure this is through offering monetary incentives and paid training.

Qualified EMR Systems

In order to reach the standards set by CCHIT, which will be announced in about 6 months, facilities should try to start work now, even before the final requirements have been laid out. The main goal should be to reach what is considered by Dr. Richard Howe, vice president of Healthcare Informatics Associates, to be the minimum required to see a large difference in patient care: fully-operational CPOE. Because this is what enables doctors to interact with patients’ files and records digitally, this is one of the most important aspects of a good EMR system. Without CPOE, it’s impossible for any hospital to advance to full digitization and difficult for any hospital to see any significant improvements in patient care.

Evaluating the IT Infrastructure

It’s important that hospitals looking to update to enable CPOE first evaluate their current systems to see if they will be able to support CPOE and other basic digital technologies. In some cases, facilities may need to go through the expensive, time-consuming, but ultimately rewarding process of replacing their old computer systems with modernized ones and starting from scratch. Another option, for hospitals that have EMR systems that are relatively up-to-date but not quite up to par, is to simply refurbish what they already have. This may not be possible or even preferable in many cases, however, because new technologies can mean large changes in workflow and user-interface that could be more easily negotiated with an entirely modern system.

Measuring the Investment

Healthcare providers should make sure not to see this transition as an obligatory inconvenience, but as a way to both improve patient care and cut costs. EMR significantly increases accountability and reduces error, which can save lives and eliminate mistakes that cost money. The investment in a good EMR network is well worth it. To put together a more specific cost-benefit analysis, there are calculators online that hospitals and practices can use to approximate their ARRA stimulus packages, which can be found at the CMS (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services) or HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) websites. Healthcare providers must then estimate how far they are from their goal and how large the investment to reach that goal will be, and they must not forget to include the significant operational cost of training in that estimate.

Action Steps to Take Today

Although the task of switching to digital records may be daunting, there is no time like the present to get started. The first thing that providers seeking to get ARRA checks by the end of 2010 should do is set their “meaningful use” goals: see what systems (PACS, CPOE, CDSS, etc.) can be installed now, and what can follow immediately after. Next, facilities should check on their existing IT infrastructures to see if they can carry the transition and whether they have redundancies or, on the negative side, disparate systems/networks. Hospitals and practices should also immediately eliminate any non-standard procedures, including shortcuts taken by staff to save time. Any procedures that aren’t industry best practices can lead to inconsistencies, which will interfere with the switch to digital. Basically, facilities should be filling in the gaps now to prepare for the transition.

For Healthcare Design News see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-news/

For further information on ARRA, contact healthcare and hospital architecture firm:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal
Bernstein & Assoc. Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
C: 917.747.2924
F: 212.463.9898
E: wb@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com
NEW YORK - HARTFORD - PRINCETON

Friday, June 26, 2009

Architect Initiates New Hospital-Oriented Twitter Account

For Immediate Release (06/26/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased that the firm principal, well-known healthcare and hospital architect --- William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA --- has initiated a new Twitter account with news about hospital and healthcare subjects.

This hospital Twitter account can be found at: www.twitter.com/hospitals

The Twitter account will focus on the many aspects of specialized design and construction required by hospitals and healthcare facilities, as they improve their aging hospital infrastructure and/or add new programs and technologies to stay up to date with the fast moving world of the healthcare marketplace.

Mr. Bernstein is well equipped to author this Twitter account. He was educated at the Yale University School of Architecture, where he received a Master of Architecture. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, American College of Healthcare Architects, Construction Specification Institute and Project Management Institute. He is one of the few architects in the United States to receive the American Hospital Association Construction Management Certificate. He has written many articles on hospital and healthcare design and construction, and his healthcare and lab projects have won numerous awards and been published widely.

In addition, Mr. Bernstein is a principal of a healthcare and laboratory architecture firm --- Bernstein & Associates, Architects (www.bernarch.com).

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories.

For Hospital Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-hospitals/

For more information about hospital and lab design and construction, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, AIA
Principal
Bernstein & Associates, Architects
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com

Thursday, June 11, 2009

New Article To Be Published on Trends in Radiology Design and Operations

For Immediate Release (06/10/09)

New Article to Be Published on Trends in Radiology Design and Operations

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the upcoming publication of an article on recent trends in radiology design and radiology planning.

The article will be published in the July 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article discusses the latest trends in radiology design and radiology planning, including the following issues:

- The fields of radiology and design for radiology have undergone numerous changes due to groundbreaking advances in technology,
- Development of digital imaging and PACS (picture archiving and communication systems)
- Rethinking the radiology environment from the point of view of patients, radiologist and staff, with the general goals of radiology facilities which increase patient and staff comfort, patient privacy, staff safety, and greater efficiency, speed, and through-put in the radiology workflow..
- Significant increases in worker productivity and improvements in the radiology workflow
- Eliminating film developing facilities, and also eliminating --- or at least drastically reducing --- the need for physical storage of hard copy films.
- Increases in legibility and reliability of scans
- Quicker responsiveness to patients.
- Reading room design.
- Ergonometrics for the new digital reading room
- Contemporary reading room must allow for future adaptability.
- Making the radiologists’ reading stations more comfortable, easier to use, and allowing for more control over the environment. Some more specific reading room design initiatives are listed below:
- Limiting Distractions
- Climate Control
- Seating and Positioning Adjustability
- Lighting specifications
- Unification of Systems
- Advances in scanning technologies. Among the most significant: 3.0T MRI’s are the upcoming standard in MRI design, multi-slice CT’s are the same for cat scan design, and digital mammography in the latest in mammography design.
- Mobile scanning equipment, such as portable CT
- Improvements in patient’s experience
- Philips “Ambient Experience”
- Relative growth of private practice radiology over academic, hospital-based radiology
- Opportunities for further development and improvement in the design of radiology facilities
- Patient comfort within the scanning machines s
- Advantages to separating healthy outpatients from very sick inpatients
- Separating women into a women’s center vs. co-mingling male and female throughout
- How the equipment will be changed out in future vs. concern exclusively with initial equipment access to space
- Green design --- eco-friendly design that is good for the environment as well as the patient --- is working its way through the healthcare environment, including the radiology department.
- Increased use of interventional radiology and surgical codes

The above article was written by the Ian Janer and William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, of the well-known healthcare and hospital design firm of Bernstein & Associates, Architects. The firm’s principle, Mr. Bernstein, is a well-known architect and radiology consultant in radiology department planning and design. Mr. Bernstein is a graduate of the Yale University School of Architecture, who has specialized in healthcare design and construction for over 30 years.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm and specializing in the design and planning of radiology departments. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise in sustainable healthcare facilities, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Radiology Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-radiology/ 

For more information about radiology department planning, design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Pharmacy Design Trends Article Published

For Immediate Release (06/10/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of an article on recent trends in pharmacy design and pharmacy planning.

The article was published in the June 2009 edition of Pharmacy Design, the pharmacy design and pharmacy planning website, located at http://www.pharmacydesign.org/.

The article discusses the latest trends in pharmacy design in the following areas:

- Pharmacy design has been undergoing dramatic changes in recent years
- A main trend has been the need to modernize and automate the production, packaging, distribution, and provision of drugs, particularly of prescription drugs, which have to be monitored and secured at all times.
- Clients looking to design a pharmacy will want to be cognizant of these trends.
- The movement towards pharmacy automation has been spurred by a number of factors
- The new electronic systems mean fewer medication errors and tighter security, not to mention more reliably safe drugs.
- Successful pharmacy plans from now on
- Clean rooms in pharmacies
- USP 797 for pharmacies
- automated drug management
- Pharmacy automation equipment within the pharmacy
- Swisslog PillPick
- McKesson ROBOT-Rx
- Pharmacy automation equipment connecting the pharmacy to other hospital departments
- Pyxis Medstation
- Bedside pharmacy dispensers
- Pneumatic tube systems in the pharmacy
- Future of the retail pharmacy
- Latest trends in retail pharmacy interior design

The above article was written by the Ian Janer and William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, of the well-known healthcare and hospital design firm of Bernstein & Associates, Architects. The firm’s principle, Mr. Bernstein, is a well-known architect and pharmacy consultant in pharmacy planning and design. Mr. Bernstein is a graduate of the Yale University School of Architecture, who has specialized in healthcare design and construction for over 30 years.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects has specialized in healthcare and lab design and construction since the firm's founding in 1990. This architecture firm is well-known for pharmacy planning, pharmacy design and pharmacy architecture, including a sub-specialty in usp 797 compliant pharmacy design and construction. The firm has designed over twenty new pharmacies, pharmacy renovations, and pharmacy relocations in the past five years. The firm is featured on the pharmacy design website, http://www.pharmacydesign.org/, and the usp 797 website, http://www.usp797.org/. The firm's principal --- William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA --- is a well known pharmacy architect. He has written extensively on pharmacy design and pharmacy construction including usp 797 compliant pharmacies. Mr. Bernstein's pharmacy design articles can be found on http://www.pharmacydesign.org/, and his usp 797 articles can be found on the usp 797 website http://www.usp797.org/.

For Pharmacy Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For more information about healthcare and hospital design and construction, including pharmacy design and construction, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A, NY, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
E: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com
NEW YORK - HARFTFORD - PRINCETON

Friday, May 29, 2009

New Article Published on Radiology Facility Planning and Design

For Immediate Release (05/27/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of an article on how the concept of universal room design can address the commonplace problem that decision-making on the purchase of major medical equipment often lags the schedule for upfront planning and design of the radiology department or radiology practice.

The article has been published in the June 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article is entitled: “Utilizing Universal Room Design in Fast Track Healthcare Projects Involving Major Medical Equipment Purchases”.

The article discusses the latest trends in radiology design and radiology planning, including the following issues:
- Why does the architect need the equipment specs for radiology room design?
- Types of engineering infrastructure involved in a radiology project
- What happens when radiologists and/or radiology administrators change their minds about equipment specifications
- How much impact do changes to medical equipment specifications have on a design and construction project schedule and budget?
- If you do change your mind about a major medical equipment purchase, when is the best time to do it?
- How can the design of what is called a "universal room" mitigate to some degree the costs (both financial and in terms of schedule delay) of equipment changes.

The article was written by the firm’s principle, a well-known architect and radiology consultant in radiology department planning and design, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA. Mr. Bernstein is a graduate of the Yale University School of Architecture, who has specialized in healthcare design and construction for over 30 years.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm and specializing in the design and planning of radiology departments. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise in sustainable healthcare facilities, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Radiology Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-radiology/

For more information about radiology department planning, design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Architecture Firm Receives New Outpatient Radiology Center Commission

For Immediate Release (05/11/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce that it has been selected to plan and design a new outpatient radiology center, within a prominent community health center, in Boston, MA.

The project includes radiology planning and radiology room design of multiple radiology modalities including ultrasound room design, digital mammography room design and digital radiography room design. In addition, there is a separate women's center will have typical support space such as dressing rooms, offices, reception and waiting.

An important consideration in the design of this radiology renovation, is the requirement that the radiology center remain in continuous operation throughout the renovation. This requires careful consideration of the new radiology plan, in terms of how the radiology plan can be phased to allow the facility to remain in continuous operation.

The project will be designed to reinforce the important role of the community health center in the health of the surrounding community.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

Founded in 1990, this healthcare architecture firm specializes in healthcare architecture, with a number of sub-specialties including radiology design and construction. The firm is run by William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA, a well-known healthcare architect. The firm is highly experienced with state-of-the-art healthcare design. Amongst the firm’s specialty radiology consulting services are: radiology master plans, hospital radiology departments, outpatient radiology facilities, and radiology room design including: ct room design, MRI room design, mammography room design, linear accelerator room design, cat scan room design, and
nuclear medicine room design.

The firm’s radiology work has been published extensively --- see section below on Radiology Publications.

Representative Radiology, Healthcare and Laboratory Publications:
- "Design of a State-of-the-Art Research Radiology Center"© William N. Bernstein, Hospital Newspaper
- "Universal Room Design Can Mitigate Change Costs", © William N. Bernstein, Aunt Minnie.com
- “The Planetree Approach”, © William N. Bernstein, Hospital Newspaper
- “Trading Spaces”, © William N. Bernstein, Advance for Imaging and Oncology
- “Ten Points of the New Healthcare Design", © William N. Bernstein, Hospital Newspaper
- "Facility Planning Implications of the New MRI Safety Guidelines", © William N. Bernstein, Hospital Newspaper
- "Finding the Right Space for a New Imaging Center", © William N. Bernstein, AuntMinnie.com
- "On the Front Lines: A NYC Hospital Engineer's First Hand Account of Sept. 11", Health Facilities Management, © William N. Bernstein (with Michael Rawlings)
- "Floor Planning In a Nutshell", © M. J. Tamas, Advance for Administrators in Radiology
- “Architects Double-Team the Future of Radiology with Experience and a Can-Do Attitude”, © P. Rohland, Advance for Administrators in Radiology
- "Renovated Space, Skywalk `Reconnect' - 4 Floors Up", Health Facilities Management

For Radiology Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-radiology/ 

For further Information about planning, designing and building a state-of-the-art healthcare facility, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal
Bernstein & Associates, Architects
59 West 19th Street - 6A
New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200
Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: wb@bernarch.com
Web: www.bernarch.com

Saturday, April 25, 2009

New Article Published on Greening the Healthcare Environment

For Immediate Release (04/24/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article on greening the healthcare environment.

The article has been published in the May 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article discusses opportunities to introduce green or sustainable design principles into a healthcare environment. The article references the LEED for Healthcare Green Building Rating System, as well as the Green Guide for Healthcare (GGHC). The principles discussed can be used to create sustainable healthcare design and/or sustainable hospital design. The article includes discussion of the following areas: Sustainable Sites for Healthcare, Water Efficiency for Healthcare, Energy & Atmosphere for healthcare, Materials & Resources for healthcare, Environmental Quality for healthcare, and Innovation & Design Process for healthcare.

The article was written by the firm’s principle, a well-known expert in green healthcare design, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in sustainable healthcare design. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of sustainable healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Healthcare Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design/

For more information about green design for healthcare, please contact:

William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Architect Selected to Provide Pharmacy Design Consulting on New Pharmacy in Santa Barbara

For Immediate Release (04/07/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects, is pleased that it has been selected to provide pharmacy design consulting for a new hospital in Santa Barbara, Caliofrnia. Services will include pharmacy programming, pharmacy adjacency diagrams, pharmacy flow diagrams, pharmacy equipment planning, and pharmacy design.

The pharmacy project is a complete new pharmacy. The project includes all new iso 7 anteroom, iso 7 hazardous compounding room, and iso 7 non-hazardous compounding room. The facility is a state-of-the-art pharmacy that includes the latest pharmacy automation equipment.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects has specialized in healthcare and lab design and construction since the firm's founding in 1990. This architecture firm is well-known for pharmacy planning, pharmacy design and pharmacy construction, including usp 797 compliant pharmacy design and construction. The firm's principal --- William N. Bernstein, AIA --- is a well known architect of pharmacies. He has written extensively on pharmacy design and construction including usp 797 compliant pharmacies. Mr. Bernstein's usp 797 articles can be found on the usp 797 website http://www.usp797.org/.

For Pharmacy Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For more information about healthcare and hospital design and construction, including pharmacy design and construction, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
New York:
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
T: 212.463.8200
F: 212.463.9898
Hartford:
100 Pearl St. - 14th Floor, Hartford, CT 06103
T: 860-616-2200
F: 860-616-0018
E: info@bernarch.com
W: www.bernarch.com

Saturday, March 28, 2009

New Article Published on Reducing Design and Construction Costs on Hospital Projects

For Immediate Release (03/23/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article on ways to reduce hospital design and construction costs.

The article has been published in the April 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article discusses opportunities to reduce capital costs for hospital administrators, at the key milestones of any project: programming, planning, design, bidding, and construction. Other topics include: Hospital Capital Budget, Hospital Financing, Specialty Hospitals, Planned Projects by Department, Patient Safety and Quality Improvements, Patient Room Improvements, Sustainable Design, and Reducing Capital and Operational Costs.

The article was written by the firm’s principle, a well-known expert in hospital design and hospital construction, William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise in sustainable healthcare facilities, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Hospital Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-hospitals/

For more information about hospital design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, LEED®AP, AIA
Principal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Saturday, February 28, 2009

New Article Published on Trends in Hospital and Healthcare Design

For Immediate Release (02/28/09)

New Article Published on Trends in Hospital and Healthcare Design

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article on hospital and healthcare design trends.

The article has been published in the March 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.

The article discusses the latest healthcare design trends, and hospital design trends, in the following areas: Hospital Capital Budget, Hospital Financing, Specialty Hospitals, Planned Projects by Department, Patient Safety and Quality Improvements, Patient Room Improvements, Sustainable Design, and Reducing Capital and Operational Costs.

The article was written by the firm’s principle, a well-known expert in hospital and healthcare design, William N. Bernstein, AIA.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories. The firm takes pride in providing the highest level of healthcare and hospital design work, with additional expertise in sustainable healthcare facilities, energy saving measures for hospitals, cost reduction strategies for hospitals, hospital safety and patient safety.

For Hospital Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-hospitals/

For more information about hospital and healthcare design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, AIA
Principal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011
Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898
Email: info@bernarch.com
http://www.bernarch.com/

Friday, January 30, 2009

Architect's New Medical Office Building Featured in New York Times

For Immediate Release (01/31/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects, is pleased to announce that a new medical office building, designed by the firm for a location on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, has been featured in an article in the New York Times.

The new medical office building is currently under construction, and occupancy is expected in 2009. The building is a state-of-the-art medical office building, which will be used by a variety of medical specialties. The building exterior, which features a multi-hued brick and cast stone ornament, has been designed to harmonize with its residential surroundings.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects has specialized in healthcare and lab design and construction since the firm's founding in 1990. This architecture firm is well-known for the planning, design and construction of medical offices, including medical office buildings. The firm's principal --- William N. Bernstein, AIA --- is a well known healthcare architect who has written extensively on healthcare design and construction issues. He currently is writes a monthly column entitled “Hospital Design and Construction” for the Hospital Newspaper. A list of healthcare design articles can be found on the firm’s website: www.bernarch.com.

For Medical Office Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-medical-offices/

For more information about healthcare and hospital design and construction, including medical office design and construction, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
Tel: 212.463.8200
Fax: 212.463.9898
email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com

Monday, January 26, 2009

Architect Selected to Write “Hospital Design and Construction” Column

For Immediate Release (02/01/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased that the firm principal, well-known healthcare and hospital architect --- William N. Bernstein, AIA --- has been selected to write a column entitled “Hospital Design and Construction” for the publication Hospital Newspaper.

The column will focus on the many aspects of specialized design and construction required by hospitals and healthcare facilities, as they improve their aging hospital infrastructure and/or add new programs and technologies to stay up to date with the fast moving world of the healthcare marketplace.

Mr. Bernstein is well equipped to write the column. He was educated at the Yale University School of Architecture, where he received a Master of Architecture. He is a member of the American Institute of Architects, American College of Healthcare Architects, Construction Specification Institute and Project Management Institute. He is one of the few architects in the United States to receive the American Hospital Association Construction Management Certificate. He has written many articles on hospital and healthcare design and construction, and his healthcare and lab projects have won numerous awards and been published widely.

In addition, Mr. Bernstein is a principal of two healthcare and lab specialty companies: a healthcare and laboratory architecture firm --- Bernstein & Associates, Architects (http://www.bernarch.com/) --- and a healthcare and lab project management firm --- Empire Projects, Inc. (http://www.empireprojects.com/).

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories. For more information about hospital and lab design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, AIA --- Principal --- Bernstein & Associates, Architects – PLLC --- 59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011 --- Office: 212.463.8200 --- Fax: 212.463.9898 --- Email: info@bernarch.com --- website: http://www.bernarch.com/

About Empire Projects, Inc.: Founded in 2003, this company is a project management and owner’s representative firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories.

For Hospital Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-hospitals/

For more information about project management of hospital and lab design and construction projects, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, AIA --- President --- Empire Projects, Inc. --- 59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011 --- Office: 212.463.0800 --- Fax: 212.463.9898 --- Email: info@empireprojects.com --- website: http://www.empireprojects.com/

Saturday, January 24, 2009

New Article on Design of Pharmacy to Conform with USP 797 (2008 Version)

For Immediate Release (01/31/09)

Bernstein & Associates, Architects is pleased to announce the publication of a new article about design of pharmacies to conform to the 2008 version of USP 797. The article has been published in the February 2009 edition of Hospital Newspaper.The article discussed the latest edition of USP 797, and how pharmacists and pharmacy managers should plan, design and construct their pharmacies to conform to USP 797.

About USP 797: USP 797 is a far-reaching regulation that governs a wide range of pharmacy policies and procedures. It is designed both to cut down on infections transmitted to patients through pharmaceutical products and to better protect staff working in pharmacies in the course of their exposure to pharmaceuticals. Issued by U.S. Pharmacopoeia (USP), the regulation governs any pharmacy that prepares "compounded sterile preparations" (CSPs). Many pharmacies fit this description. Moreover, many large hospitals have several pharmacies--a main one and several satellite pharmacies--that will be affected. A good source of information about USP 797 is the website www.usp797.org, which includes commonly asked USP 797 questions and answers by USP 797 industry consultants.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects: Founded in 1990, this company is an award-winning architectural firm specializing in healthcare and laboratories, with a sub-specialty in the design and construction of USP 797-compliant pharmacy facilities. Over the last three years, Bernstein & Associates, Architects has designed over (20) USP 797-compliant pharmacies. The firm currently has four USP 797 compliant pharmacies in design or construction, including the new cancer center pharmacy at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

For USP 797 Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-usp-797-compliant-pharmacy-design-and-consulting/

For more information about pharmacy design and construction, please contact:
William N. Bernstein, AIAPrincipal - Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC59 West 19th Street - 6A New York, NY 10011Office: 212.463.8200 - Fax: 212.463.9898Email: info@bernarch.comwww.bernarch.com

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Architect's New Cancer Center Pharmacy Goes into Construction

Bernstein & Associates, Architects, is pleased to announce that a new usp 797 compliant pharmacy, designed by the firm, is now in the construction phase. The phased pharmacy construction project is located at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute, one of the nation's premier cancer centers.

The pharmacy project is a complete reconstruction of the pharmacy. The renovation had to be phased, to allow continuous, uninterrupted operation of the pharmacy. The project includes all new iso 7 anteroom, iso 7 hazardous compounding room, and iso 7 non-hazardous compounding room. The facility is a state-of-the-art pharmacy, that includes the latest pharmacy automation equipment.

About Roswell Park Cancer Institute:

Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI), is America's first cancer center founded in 1898 by Dr. Roswell Park. RPCI is the only upstate New York facility to hold the National Cancer Center designation of "comprehensive cancer center" and to serve as a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Over its long history, Roswell Park Cancer Institute has made fundamental contributions to reducing the cancer burden and has successfully maintained an exemplary leadership role in setting the national standards for cancer care, research and education.

About Bernstein & Associates, Architects:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects has specialized in healthcare and lab design and construction since the firm's founding in 1990. This architecture firm is well-known for the planning, design and construction of pharmacies, including usp 797 compliant pharmacy design and construction. The firm's principal --- William N. Bernstein, AIA --- is a well known pharmacy architect who has written extensively on pharmacy design and construction including usp 797 compliant pharmacies. Mr. Bernstein's usp 797 articles can be found on the usp 797 website http://www.usp797.org/.

For Pharmacy Design see, http://bernarch.com/healthcare-design-pharmacy/

For more information about healthcare and hospital design and construction, including pharmacy design and construction, contact Bernstein & Associates, Architects at:

Bernstein & Associates, Architects - PLLC
59 West 19th Street - 6A, New York, NY 10011
Tel: 212.463.8200
Fax: 212.463.9898E
email: info@bernarch.com
www.bernarch.com