The new hospital is being occupied. Reviews of a huge logistics project where nothing was allowed to go wrong.
A very complex logistical operation had begun a few minutes earlier: the children’s hospital was moving from its old location in Hottingen to its new building and the operations continued. This is only ten minutes away from town towards Zollikon, in the Lengg hospital area, but the journey is tough: 65 sick children are also being transferred that day.
These are all that must remain completely in treatment - move or not. Some are in critical condition in the intensive care unit. They are connected to monitors, they are intubated, they have IVs and they are ventilated. All devices must remain operational and continuously monitored during transport. That is why qualified personnel must be present in the ambulance vehicles. And if possible, a parent too, for peace of mind.
The children’s behavior is the culmination of a massive 53-day project that took two years to prepare. Half of the hospital’s approximately 3,000 employees practiced the procedures in the new building in the months before to be ready for that day. 10,000 boxes and objects have changed locations – so much content
And now on the patient behavior.
Medical staff pick up a young patient in the old hospital.
Employees of a moving company load hatcheries into a truck.
Five-year-old Luca (name changed) woke up this morning in Hottingen in his four-bed room with a stained floor and worn-out furniture. It is cramped there and there is only an uncomfortable folding bed for the parents. Luca had a restful night. He has a lung problem and has a drain in his upper body to allow the fluid to escape. But he kept coughing – his mother barely closed her eyes. That’s what nursing director Bettina Kuster says after visiting him.
In order to alleviate Luca’s anxiety about the transfer, the hospital staff prepared it for him: the trip in the “medical car” would be an adventure, and his mother would accompany him. Eventually they got him to the point he was looking forward to. But now the transport is delayed. New babies have been admitted to the emergency room during the night and need to be transferred first.
No more operations: at 8 o’clock sharp, the signs to the old emergency station are covered over.
The vehicles are ready until the young patients can be invited.
The move was simulated in advance with puppets
The meticulous planning of the move is flexible enough to accommodate such contingencies. It has to be her. Because until recently it was not possible to know exactly how many children with problems would have to be transferred to the new building.
Everything else was practiced step by step, partly with a simulation doll. If only it had been discovered on Saturday morning that the labyrinthine corridors of the old hospital were too narrow for the transport couch and all the equipment, the whole operation would have come to a standstill. The reaction to a critical deterioration of a patient’s health while driving must also be well coordinated. Fault tolerance: zero.
Twenty-five ambulances from eleven emergency services from three cantons are driving back and forth non-stop that day. That alone would be a logistical challenge. What makes matters worse is the lack of space in the narrow neighborhood streets around the old hospital.
The ambulances have to share this with the company’s moving trucks, which collect laptops, office supplies and infusion pumps – all the material needed for the treatment of the patients until the end. And then a mother drives up with a bleeding baby in the back seat, who didn’t realize the old emergency room was closed at 8 o’clock sharp. She will not be the last one that day.
Meanwhile, workers are dismantling the illuminated yellow letters above the main entrance, the symbol of the old children’s hospital. These are now being auctioned. Long-time hospital employees who look at the scene feel melancholy. After more than 150 years, an era is coming to an end.
For many, however, the new hospital in Lengg, designed by star architects Herzog & de Meuron, is more joy than joy. It is more spacious, friendlier, more practical. Lots of wood, lots of green, lots of light.
The illuminated letters above the old main entrance were removed on the morning of the parade.
The children’s hospital departs from the residential area on Zürichberg.
The new building drove the hospital to ruin
The path to the new children’s hospital was marked by obstacles, arguments and financial problems. These go back almost forty years. The first plans for a new building began in 1986, at the time on the old site. The reason was the same today: lack of space. However, a full nine years passed before the cantonal government approved the entire plan. Then the canton and the city of Zurich went against the building and zoning regulations, and appeals also blocked the project.
In June 2000 the planning was stopped. Both the city and the canton concluded that the current site was not suitable for a new building. Instead, the Lengg came into focus.
It was finally possible to complete a building project there – but this brought the hospital to the brink of ruin. There were several delays and ultimately a huge cost overrun. It was originally thought that the new building would cost 500 million francs, but in the end it was 761 million. Although the privately sponsored foundation managed to raise around 100 million francs in donations, the canton had to save the hospital in April of this year.
The consensus: There could be no more delay now. Lack of space in the old hospital was very necessary. Parents had complained about the precarious conditions on social networks. Children were treated in the halls. The hospital management put things into perspective, but the resources were fully utilized and a move to the new building was urgently needed.
On Saturday morning around 8 am the time had come and the first ambulance arrived in Lengg. An excited crowd immediately gathers: parents, hospital staff, and later clowns with soap bubbles. The happy faces show that everything went well.
When a patient arrives at the new children’s hospital in Lengg, a good atmosphere spreads.
Ambulances from eleven rescue organizations from three cantons are helping.
The light goes on early in the first patient room on the top floor. A child in a hospital shirt sits with a bald head down directly at the large window. He looks down on the street and waves.
About three hours later, 5-year-old Luca moves into his new quarters a few windows away
Towards evening, the children’s hospital reports: the transfer is complete, all patients have arrived. This marks the beginning of a new era. And in front of a now abandoned building in Hottingen, one can light a cigarette and say: “I love it when a plan works!”
Lots of wood, lots of green, lots of light: a look at the new building by Herzog & de Meuron.
It looks like you’ve shared a detailed excerpt about the new children’s hospital in Zürich, outlining its history, the challenges faced during its construction, and the eventual transfer of patients to the new facility. Here are some key points summarized from the text:
- History and Planning: The plans for the new children’s hospital began as early as 1986 due to a lack of space at the old site. However, it took nine years for the cantonal government to approve the project, which faced various legal and regulatory challenges.
- Location Shift: Initially planned for the old site, planning was halted in June 2000. The focus then shifted to the Lengg area for the new building.
- Financial Challenges: The project faced severe delays and budget overruns. The initial estimated cost of 500 million francs ballooned to 761 million francs by completion. Despite significant fundraising, the canton had to intervene financially in April of this year to save the hospital.
- Urgency for New Building: The urgent need for a new facility was underscored by complaints from parents about the inadequate conditions in the old hospital, where children were treated in hallways.
- Opening Day: On the morning of the opening, excitement filled the air with the arrival of the first ambulance, marking a significant milestone for the hospital, staff, and families.
- Successful Transfer: The transfer of patients was completed smoothly, marking the start of a new era for the children’s hospital.
- Architecture: The new hospital was designed by Herzog & de Meuron, prioritizing light, green spaces, and wood in its construction.
The narrative paints a picture of the resilience and determination involved in transitioning to a new health facility for children, highlighting both the challenges and the eventual triumph in achieving the goal.