Carson hospital’s aesthetics credited with power to aid healing

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center moved from its old location on Fleischmann Way in downtown Carson City to a scenic spot on 88 acres at the north end of town in December of 2005.

A key aspect of Carson Tahoe Health’s mission was to create a medical campus attuned to the natural beauty of the surrounding Eagle Valley. Last week the hospital was recognized as one of most beautiful medical campuses in the country in a poll conducted by Soliant Health of Atlanta.

Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center placed fifth in the Soliant Health’s sixth-annual Most Beautiful Hospitals in the U.S. poll. Hospitals were nominated internally and vetted by a panel of judges. Open voting for the 20 hospitals that placed on the Soliant Health top-20 list received 248,116 votes. Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center comprises 352,000 square feet with 138 private rooms, with each room enjoying a view of the surrounding Eagle Valley.

Jon Tyler, marketing and communications representative who has been with Carson Tahoe Health since its move from downtown, says the hospital benefited greatly from being able to choose a prime location for a ground-up build. Executives tasked with the initial planning of the hospital, Tyler says, were keen to include the healing aspects of nature as an extension of the hospital’s architecture. The setting also helps Carson Tahoe Health draw talented medical professionals to the campus, Tyler adds.

“Starting from choosing the location and choosing an open, beautiful area where there are stunning views of the Eagle Valley from almost every one of the rooms, those involved with the initial planning felt that the healing properties of nature were overlooked in healthcare,” Tyler says. “They looked at study after study that said open lighting, beautiful scenery and patient privacy and was vital to the healing process.”

Comfort aspects built into the hospital rooms include cabinetry to cover medical equipment and thick concrete walls to dampen sound and increase patient privacy. Lobbies feature artwork from local artists. The goal, Tyler says, is to create a resort-style impression for visitors and patients that helps alleviate their fears of medical care and hospital visits.

“The comfort aspect is really vital for us to build a foundation of compassionate care,” he says. “We are treating the person than just the disease. We are trying to take into account the emotional side of patient care.”

Carson Tahoe Health President and Chief Executive Officer Ed Epperson says that encompassing the human aspect of healing is part of the hospital’s mission. The hospital’s modern architecture and open design enhances the level of care provided by the entire organization, he says.

“We are honored to be recognized as one of the top hospitals,” Epperson says.