Duke University Hospital (DUH) and Duke Health leaders, team members and community partners gathered April 2 to celebrate a construction milestone for one of Duke Health's latest growth projects.
The new Bed Tower Addition on the DUH campus is set to open in 2021. The 350-bed tower will upgrade, but not expand, the hospital’s current bed count, providing efficient operational flows and maximized teamwork throughout DUH.
“The Bed Tower Addition allows us to continue to carry out our mission of providing high-quality services and care to our patients and their families," said Duke University Hospital President Thomas Owens, MD. "This is going to be a place for healing and for that we are grateful. It is not just the building, but it’s what happens inside that counts at the end of the day.”
The top five floors of the 11-story tower will include 222 private, adult acuity-adaptable beds. They will serve neurosciences, solid organ and bone marrow transplant, oncology and orthopaedics admissions.
The lower four floors will be dedicated to children’s in-patient services. These units will be designed to provide an enriched and family-centered healing environment. This upgrade to the children’s in-patient facilities will not only mean better outcomes for children, but also a better experience for families who are impacted by their admission to DUH.
The topping off ceremony provided guests the opportunity to view project renderings and watch the final beam, signed by thousands of team members, lifted to the top of the addition. Guests learned about project updates and the positive impact the new enhancement brings to the DUHS community.
