Category Archives: New Spaces
We’re Under Construction to Serve You Better
Gillette has upgrades in store at our St. Paul campus and west metro clinics. Maple Grove and Minnetonka are expanding, making it easier for west-metro patients to get appointments. And we’re renovating parts of our St. Paul campus!
Maple Grove
We’re expanding our clinic to add space for Child and Family Services, casting, splinting and physical therapy. We’ll also enlarge the waiting room.
Minnetonka
We’re opening Minnetonka Therapies in April. That will provide more room for therapy appointments at the new location—and more room for physician services at our existing Minnetonka Clinic! We’ll add exam rooms and complete the waiting room.
St. Paul
We’re closing the west half of our Orthopedics/Surgical Unit to remodel it into private rooms (one patient per room). The remodeled area will open in June. We’re also expanding our Dental space so our providers can see more patients there. You’ll also see new wall coverings, floors and finishing touches in the outpatient corridor.
Science-Minded High Schoolers Experience Surgery Simulation
Students from St. Paul’s Washington Technology Magnet School took a break from reading, writing and arithmetic today. Instead, they came to Gillette to scrub in for surgery — literally! Gillette welcomed biomedical and anatomy students into its newly opened Surgery Simulation Center, part of efforts to help them learn about, and experience, careers in the medical field. Students participated in scenarios they might encounter as a physician, nurse, technician, or biomedical engineer working in an operating room.
We’re excited to help young people learn more about careers in health and medicine. But surgical simulation also plays a critical role in training, patient safety, and continued innovations in patient care. Because Gillette’s Simulation Center is unique positioned — it’s directly adjacent to real-life operating rooms and imaging suites —medical staff can rehearse procedures in the actual surgical environment (most hospital Simulation Centers are located at off-site facilities). Co-location in the operating room also allows staff to utilize the space even during short periods of free time.
Thank you to Washington students and teachers, and to Gillette’s surgery staff, for making today a success!
Healing Garden Brings the Outdoors to Gillette Families
Here at Gillette, outdoor space has long been a part of our history. In the early- to mid-1900s – when our hospital was located on the shores of Lake Phalen – children enjoyed everything from sandboxes and swing sets, to even a baseball diamond!
When Gillette moved to its current location in the 1970s, we gained much-needed space to grow to meet community needs. But we lost an area for children and families to enjoy the outdoors — until now. Earlier this summer, we opened the Peggy King Healing Garden – a soothing, natural space located adjacent to our new patient-care building.
The beautiful space includes play equipment, outdoor musical instruments, a fountain, and areas to simply relax and enjoy nature. Patients also use the space for outdoor therapy sessions, which focus on practical skills and independence.
The garden is named in honor of Peggy King, a wife, mother and longtime Gillette board member. To honor her service to others, her family made a gift in support of a healing garden for Gillette. The garden was also partially funded by Gillette’s employees, who know the value of having an outdoor space for patients and families.
The garden features a walking path throughout and shaded pergola.
A view of the play equipment and small garden used for outdoor therapies.
A rock fountain provides soothing ambiance.
Children can enjoy using these musical pipes and, nearby, musical footpads.
Peggy King’s family toured the garden named in her honor. From left to right: Ginnie Weyerhaeuser, Dr. Larry Record, Steve Rasmussen, Kristin Rasmussen, Tom Rasmussen, Cathy Morley and CEO of Gillette, Margaret E. Perryman.
Ronald McDonald Family Room Celebrates First Milestone
Our Ronald McDonald Family Room celebrated an exciting milestone today, when staff registered the 100th family to stay in the newly opened space! Although we didn’t anticipate reaching this milestone so quickly, we’re thrilled to be serving even more families than we originally expected. At this rate, more than 4,000 inpatient families will benefit from the space each year.
There couldn’t be a better time to share photos of our beautiful Family Room, which includes four bedrooms with private baths, as well as a common area with a fully-stocked kitchen, dining room and living room area. Warm and welcoming, the space is designed to give families a homelike environment to rest and rejuvenate during their child’s hospital stay. We’re proud to be partnering with Ronald McDonald House Charities, Upper Midwest to provide this wonderful space for our families.
Colorful artwork and warm wood tones greet families at check-in.
The kitchen and dining area features a fully stocked pantry and cupboards.
The kitchen features spacious counter space and stainless steel appliances.
One of four private sleeping rooms for families.
Of course, each sleeping room features its own private bathroom.
The living room's comfy couches and large TV make it a perfect place for relaxation.
