Blending High Tech and Human, UCSF’s Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building Opens to Patients
OneEQ, the Dallas-based full-service technology, planning and operational consultancy, is pleased to announce that the Bakar Precision Cancer Medicine Building (PCMB) on U.C. San Francisco’s Mission Bay campus has begun to accept patients. OneEQ provided equipment planning and procurement, logistics/deployment and installation administration for the new six-story, 179,650-SF facility. The PCMB is a next-generation example of how the seamless integration of technology into a healing environment elevates not only the provision of care but also the overall patient experience. “The uniqueness of the PCMB is having this concentration of technology—at this level of sophistication—under a single roof,” says Irene Bickell, OneEQ vice president. “Rather than visiting multiple campuses or even multiple buildings, patients have access to precision tailored treatments all in a single location, which makes the patient journey less disorienting and less stressful. More can be accomplished in one visit than ever before.”PCMB patients check in just once at a centralized registration, and a real-time location system allows them to move around the campus without fear of missing an appointment. There’s no need to travel between buildings or across the city to complete steps in evaluations or treatments.“But what is truly notable on this project,” according to Bickell, “has been the focus on the patient experience and the creation of calming, human-centric environments. This truly drove much of the decision making and really gave us a road map for defining how to integrate the technology. It made a huge difference.”As a component of UCSF’s Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the top-ranked cancer hospital in California, the PCMB includes 120 room for exams, procedures, and consultations, 62 infusion bays, and 19 imaging modalities. Radiation oncology and game-changing advances in cancer treatment – such as immunotherapy, Phase I clinical trials, and genetic sequencing – are all readily accessible.
“By enhancing access to treatments that go beyond the standard of care and by easing the emotional burdens of dealing with a devastating disease, the PCMB exemplifies the future of cancer care,” says Alan Ashworth, PhD, FRS, President, UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center. “With the PCMB, we deliver treatments that are tailored not only to the patient and the disease but also to the genetic profile and pathology of the patient’s individual tumor.”
A project of this complexity presents a series of logistical challenges, not least in the procurement, delivery, storage and eventual installation of the equipment and technology. The site’s busy location, adjacent construction, and the absence of a useable loading dock all combined to increase that complexity. OneEQ tapped its inhouse stable of experts—not just in the planning stages but on site during installation and construction—to help ensure the project was delivered to the client’s exact and demanding specifications.
“The level of imaging equipment, which was driven by the specialty clinics, is among the highest we’ve ever encountered,” according to Bickell.
UCSF relied on a “Big Room” approach to the design and delivery of the project, which collocates the team to foster collaboration, encourage innovation and eliminate duplicative efforts. The approach also speeds decision-making. OneEQ, which provided equipment procurement services, was able to help UCSF realize significant savings through negotiation and coordination.
OneEQ collaborated with the project’s architect, Stantec, and contractor, Rudolph and Sletten.
About UCSF Health
UCSF Health is recognized worldwide for its highly innovative patient care, reflecting the latest medical knowledge, advanced technologies and pioneering research. It includes the flagship UCSF Medical Center, which is ranked among the top six hospitals nationwide, as well as UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, with campuses in San Francisco and Oakland; Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and Clinics; UCSF Benioff Children’s Physicians and the UCSF Faculty Practice. These hospitals serve as the academic medical center of the University of California, San Francisco, which is world-renowned for its graduate-level health sciences education and biomedical research. UCSF Health has affiliations with hospitals and health organizations throughout the Bay Area. Visit www.ucsfhealth.org
