STAAT MOD Patient Bed Expansion at M Health Fairview – St. John’s Hospital
Crowding and capacity constraints continue to stress hospitals nationwide as the number of patients seeking care increases, and the ability to discharge them to more appropriate levels of care decreases.
Emergency Department (ED) and inpatient medicine teams at M Health Fairview St. John’s Hospital in Maplewood have tirelessly confronted this challenge, facing a 5 percent rise in inpatient visits and a staggering 12 percent increase in ED visits since 2022. With limited capacity and space, and a commitment to improve patient care while visits are only expected to grow, teams at St. John’s devised a strategy for improving patient flow by expanding the emergency department, reorganizing existing services, and — now — opening a new, purpose-built “short-stay and observation unit” to support newly developed workflows.
Construction firm The Boldt Company, and interdisciplinary design firm, HGA were engaged by St. John’s Hospital to deliver a 16-bed ICU patient observation wing onto the existing facility, built to over 90 percent completion offsite in Appleton, Wisc., then seamlessly transported and installed on the St. John’s campus – the first of its kind in the state of Minnesota. The fully structural volumetric modular building added 16 observation rooms, two staff support areas, patient bathrooms, staff toilet rooms, soiled and clean utility, equipment storage, medication room, nourishment alcove, P-Tube station, AHU mechanical yard and I.T., and water and electrical rooms.
“In the face of escalating patient visits, our ED and inpatient medicine teams have been proactive and innovative in their response,” said Will Nicholson, MD, vice president of medical affairs for M Health Fairview St. John’s, Woodwinds, and Bethesda hospitals. “This approach is a game-changer. It allows us to rapidly develop the needed space without impeding current operations.”
Construction of the unit began offsite in September. Crews delivered the prefabricated unit to St. John’s in late November, and teams completed final construction and furnishing, opening the addition to patients in mid-January.“We’re facing a very real need for patient bed space in our country right now.” said David Thomack, chief operating officer with Boldt. “Every day that is spent in planning, design, or construction is another day that hospitals and patients must do without those beds. Using a modular approach, we’re delivering that space in half the time traditional construction would take, without sacrificing durability, quality, or affordability, allowing healthcare providers to see patients months sooner.”This project represents the latest iteration of Boldt and HGA’s award-winning STAAT MOD product. Originally designed to help healthcare providers meet surging demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic, STAAT MOD has evolved beyond its initial temporary design, into a permanent, high-quality, and aesthetically pleasing modular healthcare solution.
More from Modular Advantage
T.R. Arnold: The Art of Third-Party Inspections
T.R. Arnold (TRA), a third-party inspection company in Elkhart, Indiana, contracts with modular manufacturers across the US. Manufacturers register with each state to which they intend to send their modules and may be required to hire a third-party inspection company.
Creating an ‘Ecosystem for Innovation:’ 50+ Years of Modular Construction Oversight in Virginia
Virginia’s modular building program began in 1973, with the implementation of the Virginia Industrialized Building Unit and Mobile Home Safety Regulations. Now it’s leading the country in modular code adoption.
Understanding Thermal Barriers Compliance Methods & Emerging NFPA-275 Foam Plastic Technologies
New fire barrier technologies are improving total costs and margins in major areas of construction, such as commercial, government, union and prevailing wage projects. These benefits translate into other large fringe areas, such as agriculture, commercial cold storage facilities, grow houses, outbuildings, military and aviation hangars.
Financing the Future of Modular Construction: How Better Capital Strategies Can Help the Industry Scale
The future of construction will not be solved by one product, one lender, or one financing model. It will be solved by matching the right project with the right capital strategy.
Building Customized Technical Containers for Data Centers and the Energy Sector
Modern data centers must not only be highly efficient but also flexible and secure. One answer to these core challenges is modular data centers housed in containers.
Printing the Future of Modular Construction
For the modular and offsite construction industry, 3D concrete printing should not be viewed as a competing construction method. It should be understood as a potential expansion of the industrialized construction toolkit.
Quality Control for Modular Houses Manufactured in Asia
In modular construction, prevention is far cheaper than correction. A good inspection plan protects the buyer, supports the supplier, and helps the final project succeed.
Housing Without Borders: Go Global with Haskell Modular Solutions
With the capacity to service over 15 diverse markets across multiple continents, Haskell is the reliable choice for our 80% repeat client base no matter how their needs evolve. So, when a longstanding client—typically known for their large-scale, institutional buildings—engaged Haskell with a very different need—multinational
housing projects—Haskell knew exactly what approach to take.
ProSet Co-founder Shares Expertise to Help Ensure Safe and Secure Modular Connections in Colorado
ProSet co-founder Matt Mitchell created and teaches an 8-hour course, based on Colorado’s modular installation regulations.
Women in Construction – Reflections on a Journey, Then and Now
From industry veteran Laurie Robert, a retrospective for women who are thinking about entering the modular construction industry or are looking to elevate their current position into leadership.