By Sally Chavez / Special to Healthcare Facilities Today

When Stony Brook Medicine, a leading academic medical center in New York, began planning its new state-of-the-art Advanced Specialty Care Center, it enlisted the help of its engineered surfaces partner, Wilsonart. Located on Long Island, Stony Brook Medicine’s tagline is “the best ideas in medicine.” The academic medical center’s pursuit of excellence depends on its commitment to advanced education, technology and innovation. To support the increasing needs of the Commack community, Stony Brook Medicine began developing the 120,000-square-foot integrated healthcare facility to offer more than 30 medical specialties.

As the facility is designed to be used across multiple medical practice areas, the surfacing materials chosen needed to be able to withstand serious wear and tear. Wilsonart surface materials were the obvious choice for Stony Brook Medicine because they are durable, design-friendly, easily pair with built environments and support disinfection. Beyond providing effective care, it is vital that every healthcare facility is an environment that is comfortable and efficient for all involved. With the help of Wilsonart engineered surfaces, Stony Brook Medicine could transform its facility into a safe and reliable healthcare environment that is also welcoming, warm and conveys an overall positive, high-quality patient experience. Stony Brook Medicine used seven different designs throughout the facility to meet their demanding needs.

Design

For the main stairway, Stony Brook Medicine chose Quartz, specifically the Haida pattern, a bright white design with fine short black veining resembling Carrara marble. Quartz, an engineered material, was selected as it is specifically designed and manufactured to provide a modern, stylish stone appeal, without the performance irregularities and weakness traditionally associated with the natural material.

Quartz is an excellent choice for high traffic applications common to the constant hustle and bustle of public spaces in medical facilities of today and tomorrow. Quartz patterns Haida and Lyra, a white pattern hinting towards grey with clear particulates and bits of sparkle, along with Solid Surface (Moon Geyser), and Laminate (Ebony Char and Asian Sand) were used for countertops, casework and window sills throughout the facility’s common areas, reception desks and nurse stations.

Moon Geyser is a soft pattern inspired by geysers from the moon Triton with a white background and light grey movement that sparkles throughout the pattern. Ebony Char was inspired by ancient wood charring methods and is a unique planked teak look in a dark, rich overall color with silver highlights, while Asian Sand is a vertical grain bamboo laminate design in a soft, bleached white with grey and taupe hues. Finally, the patient exam areas and bathrooms feature both quartz and laminate (Grey, White Driftwood, Asian Sand and Phantom Ecru). Grey is a simple, solid grey color while White Driftwood is a warm bleached pine with distressed straight grain and occasional knots, and Phantom Ecru is a soft gold color with a subtle reconstituted woodgrain effect. Each design was chosen for its beautiful features that would create a warm, inviting facility while still being durable and practical.

Durability and disinfection

For their durability, Laminate and Solid Surface were chosen for the countertops, casework and window sills throughout the facility. Healthcare facilities need to use surface materials that can withstand constant wear and be cleaned and disinfected easily. Laminate is low-maintenance and scratch-resistant — it contains up to five times the scratch and scuff resistance and three times the wear resistance of competitor products with similar finishes. Solid Surface is easy to clean, refinish and repair and it’s seamless, non-porous properties make it an excellent material to withstand the rigorous cleaning and disinfection protocols common to facilities where medical services are delivered.

At Stony Brook Medicine, patient care is always the top priority, which is influenced by more than just the healthcare received. Many factors go into a successful patient visit, including the facility aesthetics. The quality of the facility, including waiting area, offices, nurse stations and patient rooms, can make or break how a patient feels during a visit. Surface materials with superior design, durability and disinfection features help enhance the patient-provider relationship that Stony Brook Medicine values. Working with Wilsonart surface materials, Stony Brook’s new facility makes a patient feel more at ease and welcomed.

Sally Chavez, LEED, AP ID+C, is a senior designer at Wilsonart.