The new Idaho Heart Institute in Idaho Falls was constructed utilizing the "Design Build" project delivery system for Doctors Robert Cameron and John Chambers. The building's structure was a typical concrete foundation with a full basement under approximately 50% of the main floor area. The walls were all steel stud with EIFS and brick veneer for the exterior. The roof structure was conventional steel joists and deck with an EPDM roof system. The building houses state-of-the-art diagnostic services for heart patients on an outpatient basis. The clinic is the first known stand-alone cardiac catheterization laboratory in Idaho. It is solely owned and operated by a private group of doctors. Because of our experience in design/build, the doctors brought the project to Benchmark Construction, Inc.
After preliminary meetings, Olson and Associates were hired to develop the floor plan and site plan. Benchmark Construction, Inc. assisted in the lot selection and then Olson completed the architectural drawings. Being a true design/build project, the electrical, mechanical, plumbing and fire protection subcontractors provided the engineered drawings for their scope of work. Each discipline designed their portion of work around a budget and the needs of the Owners.
The main focus of this project was the cardiac catheterization laboratory. In combination with the recovery rooms and support area, the "cath-lab" occupied roughly one-half of the main floor. The equipment for the "cath-lab" was so critical that the lab required it's own HVAC system to keep the air temperature at a constant level for all of the computer systems. This system had an alarm installed so that it would sound if the temperature went above or below a specified range. The cath-lab has a required occupancy separation from the remaining building to meet the requirements of the State Department of Health and Welfare accreditation. To receive the state's accreditation, an emergency generator for power failure was provided. A full fire/smoke detection system was installed, an emergency call notification system complete with flashing lights and sound enunciator positioned throughout the cath-lab area, and the entire room itself was constructed with lead lined walls and doors to contain radiation.
The three recovery rooms for the cath-lab lab included a private family/friends waiting room with doors that opened directly into the recovery room for easier access to loved ones. Another aspect included a patient monitoring system to track patient status with ease and accuracy. Each recovery room was tied back into the nurse's station so that the patient could be monitored from the room or the nurse's station. Additionally, ICU breakaway doors were installed to provide a quick and safe way to access a patient in an emergency situation.
The other half of the Idaho Heart Institute is composed of mostly testing equipment including treadmill testing, nuclear scan, echocardiogram, and a full clinic laboratory. Accommodations include twelve private patient exam rooms in addition to nine doctors' offices, a records and reception area, a patient educational room and a patient consultation room. The interior decor and colors were selected and installed by Impressions By Design of Idaho Falls. All of this took great attention to detail to make everything fit on the first floor while still leaving an open, airy and inviting atmosphere.
An employee locker room and break room were installed on the basement level with space for a future cardiac rehabilitation center.
While meeting the owner's schedule for occupancy was important, so was job-site safety. Benchmark Construction, Inc. took every measure to enforce safety policies in co-operation with O.S.H.A. requirements. With this level coordination between owners, contractor, and subcontractors, no time was lost and we completed a successful project that now provides state-of-the-art cardiac services beneficial to the entire area of eastern Idaho.
