Newswise — Nobody really wants to have surgery or spend time in a hospital but if they must, they will want to do it here - at New Jersey’s first “smart surgical tower” - the Helena Theurer Pavilion. 

 Set to open to patients this December,  the Helena Theurer Pavilion combines state of the art technology with Hackensack Meridian Health’s personalized compassionate care. 

You can see this smart space come to life in this time lapse video but we’d also like to invite you to a one day only - behind-the-scenes - all access tour - of this nine-story, 530,000 square foot, nearly $1 billion destination for innovative care, located in Hackensack, NJ. 

 It  is truly one of a kind - with the ability to switch to a pandemic/health emergency-ready environment with just the flip of a switch. 

When: Tuesday, November 1, 2022 - Opening Remarks Start Promptly at 10:00 am with group tours directly following. 

Where: For GPS Purposes use 60 Second Street in Hackensack, NJ

(The Pavilion is located on the opposite side of Second Street)

Parking: Vehicle parking garage is attached to 60 Second Street. Trucks may park on Second Street. RSVP to Mary McGeever, 551-795-1675. See more details and photos of the Pavilion below.

Helena Theurer Pavilion Background: 

Smart hospitals bring the future of health care to patients today by using state-of-the-art technology to accelerate clinical workflows, streamline patient journeys, and deploy new life saving innovations. The Helena Theurer Pavilion does all this and more - housed in a beautiful, modern, thoughtfully designed facility.

What type of state-of-the-art technology?

Today’s patients expect health care to be delivered with greater efficiency, and convenience in comfortable, near-normal settings. 

  • The Helena Theurer Pavilion, a nine story surgical tower, combines all of the above with the most advanced technology including live stream capability in each of the facility’s 24 operating rooms. 
  • On the same monitors, physicians can use the Iris anatomical visualization service to see  a segmented 3D model of their patient's anatomy. This enables surgeons and OR teams to view the model within the da Vinci Surgeon Console using Tilepro during the procedure. 
  • The Helena Theurer Pavilion at Hackensack University Medical Center is the first hospital in New Jersey to acquire an intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. Designed specifically for the first time for surgical space,  the Siemens Healthineers MAGNETOM Combi Suite enables combined use of intraoperative whole-body imaging with MR, the ARTIS pheno robotic angiography system and intraoperative CT in one procedure. This helps to leverage the strength of each imaging modality at any stage of surgery and without having to move the patient out of the required treatment position.
  • Some of the Helena Theurer Pavilion OR’s are equipped with the da Vinci™ robotic surgical system, an integrated electronic medical record, and imaging system equipped with artificial intelligence, help us perform delicate, complex procedures and tests more efficiently, and with minimal risk to our patients, ultimately resulting in the best possible outcomes. One operating room will house the da Vinci SP single-port robot, which allows surgeons to perform complex procedures through a half-inch incision. 
  • The Helena Theurer Pavilion’s innovative and integrated system will enable real-time data sharing and connectivity between the hospital and other players - like surgeons and their patients - on 69 inch screen monitors in each patient’s room - that can display patient images, visuals and 3D virtual models to help explain diagnosis and care plans. 
  • Other technological game-changers include the use of cutting-edge artificial intelligence like the GI Genius as part of colon cancer screening; electronic medical records system; and an automated pharmacy system.

The Importance of Patient Care and Amenities

The Helena Theurer Pavilion offers single-patient rooms that have been designed to provide a superior healing environment - from the paint color to the floor to ceiling windows - with incredible views. Patient rooms are also equipped with the latest technology, including an in-room tablet at the bedside that allows patients to control the lights, shades, TV, room temperature, order food and video chat with their loved ones who they can see on the 69 inch flat screen. 

Pandemic Readiness

The New York metropolitan area was among the hardest-hit areas in the country during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the Helena Theurer Pavilion’s design was modified, in real time, during construction, so that with just the flip of a switch, the entire Pavilion can be converted to a negative-pressure facility. Why is this important?  A negative-pressure space - which is occupied by patients with airborne infectious illnesses such as COVID-19, tuberculosis and measles - have special exhaust systems to prevent air from escaping and potentially affecting more people.