Mackay Hospital & Health Service
Mackay Hospital and Health Services (MHHS) is a contemporary organisation including hospitals and community health facilities, based mid-way along Queensland’s coast.
About
This relationship developed through an appointment to provide architectural services for the Bowen Hospital Medical Imaging Building.
Subsequent engagements by MHHS have occurred since this commission, including the development of a master plan for Bowen Hospital, and the provision of architectural design services for a Renal Unit on the Bowen Hospital site.
Bowen Hospital Medical Imaging Wing
The Medical Imaging Unit project includes the construction of a new building to house a CT scanner and other medical scanning equipment, as well as the relocation of a palliative care wing.
Designing within a tight budget and planning for possible extreme weather conditions, the building creates a new front door to the hospital which enhances the site amenity and presence of the hospital within the community.
A high level review of the site was undertaken prior to commencing schematic design to ensure the Medical Imaging Unit would not compromise future expansion. This prompted the commission for a master plan of the hospital site, which was to consider growth and development up to 2040.
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Bowen Hospital Concept Master Plan
The Master Plan project evolved from initial strategic thinking in the previous commission for the Medical Imaging Unit.
It involved extensive stakeholder engagement with the MHHS Executive and representatives from Bowen Hospital through routine workshops.
Establishing the priority services for the 2040 Master Plan horizon, and the development of strategies for flexibility and hospital growth beyond this timeframe, was critical in its development.
The master plan needed to look to 2040 and beyond in providing a strategic and digital framework for development on the Bowen Hospital site. Through engagement with stakeholders and expert advice, the 2040 Master Plan provides a sustainable growth roadmap for the future.
A key part of the master plan report to MHHS explored the impact of the advancement in digital health on Bowen Hospital, and MHHS more broadly. A series of engagements with industry experts, including an Associate Professor at the Centre for Health Services Research at the University of Queensland, was established.
Key insights were summarised in the report, along with recommendations surrounding infrastructure upgrades and flexible design solutions to future proof the hospital against extreme digital changes and potential facility redundancies.
