Urban renewal at Royal University Hospital

If you haven't visited the mall at Royal University Hospital (RUH) lately, it's worth the trip.  For those of you not familiar with RUH mall, the far end of it had fallen on hard times.  It used to house an outpatient pharmacy, which was converted into a mail distribution kiosk, then became an empty, derelict husk of a structure, and finally, a bleak open space.  It was the type of place where, when walking by, you'd lock the doors and roll up your windows.

But, from barren ground has sprung a blossom!

Several weeks ago, as I prepared to hustle through no-man's-land, I was surprised to find that someone had installed a fireplace in the middle of the empty space.  Over the subsequent weeks, decorative dividers appeared, followed by plants, tables and seating.

I usually pass by this area in the evening, when the mall is quiet.  But today, I walked through at midday and it was alive with people!  Staff, visitors and patients were having lunch at tables, reading in armchairs, and enjoying the river view by the big windows.

It's a complete renewal of this space!

I wish I had "before" pictures to show you, to demonstrate what an improvement this is.

The best thing about this space was this: I felt proud to walk through it.  Frankly, the old space was an eyesore.  I would go out of my way to avoid it if I were showing someone around the hospital.  Now, it will be an attraction.  What's next in the mall? Concerts at noon? Art shows? Public lectures?

As I admired the area, 3 friends of mine passed by.  We chatted and I asked what they thought of this new common area.  They were all very happy with it, and pointed out that it has become a gathering point for people working, visiting and being cared for at RUH.

But, I asked myself this:  How the heck did someone sell this idea?  We seem to be chronically underfunded in healthcare, and I'm sure there would be many demands on the money that went toward this renovation.  You could make a case that it was frivolous, that our business is healthcare, not interior design.

After seeing all the people enjoying themselves in the mall today, I realized that an investment like this is important for healthcare - perhaps not the technical side, but certainly the caring side.   We traditionally measure success in healthcare through outcomes - mortality, infection, hemoglobin A1c.   But, taking into account the entire experience of healthcare is at least as important as outcomes measures.

The RUH mall renovation shows that someone recognized the importance of experience in healthcare.  To the person who championed this face- and spirit-lift: Well done!