Exterior view of Adult Outpatient Pavilion
Since 2018, VCU Health has been breaking ground at the corner of North 10th and East Leigh streets in Downtown Richmond. But they’ve built more than a new facility. Now open, the 17-story Adult Outpatient Pavilion at VCU Health welcomes the Richmond community and greater Virginia to the way healthcare should be.
From parking challenges to spread-out specialties, it was clear the previous VCU Health outpatient experience needed a central location — and much more space. But it’s not every day that a health system builds a 615,000-square-foot medical office. So, the academic medical center combined the best practices of its peers with patients and staff feedback to design an accessible and welcoming outpatient experience for the Richmond community — and beyond.
Bird's eye view of the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion
“We’re bringing a huge number of specialties and expertise into one facility to bring out the best care for our patients and inspire our team members and doctors. It’s a supportive and relaxing space — not only for the patient, but also for the families and people who are with them,” says Arthur L. Kellermann, M.D., MPH, CEO of VCU Health System.
Creating a welcoming environment for everyone
The $384 million Adult Outpatient Pavilion marks the start of systemwide improvements and a pivotal chapter in VCU Health’s mission to make world-class care accessible to everyone. Two turns off I-95, it’s convenient for all methods of transit, with an entrance steps away from a Greater Richmond Transit Company (GRTC) bus stop. VCU Health patients can pull into one of the more than 1,000 parking spaces on the seven-story parking deck inside the building. There are also pickup and drop-off zones for patients needing a ride, full valet services and a dedicated entrance for the VCU Massey Cancer Center, which occupies the first six floors.
Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of the Adult Outpatient Pavilion is that it brought 26 specialties — including neurology, urology, oncology, dermatology, orthopedics and women’s health services — all under one roof. Along with a lab and three on-site pharmacies, technology and services that previously spanned more than seven buildings are now in one. This allows patients to flow through their care journey and ensures clinical collaboration through intentional design that expands capacity.
Lab testing doesn't need to take place in a dull, windowless room - introducing one of the new testing facilities at the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion.
“Our clinicians are now all in a physically aligned space, so it opens the door for a more integrated care flow model in an even grander way, since the space itself is spectacular,” says Doug Arthur, M.D., the Florence and Hyman Meyers Chair in Radiation Oncology at VCU Massey Cancer Center.
VCU Health expects to treat 200,000 patients annually across more than 1 million visits in the 2022 fiscal year at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion. With vacant space on four floors, there’s even more room to attract patients and staff across the region with innovative technologies, treatments and clinical experience.
Advancing the standard of care, one upgrade at a time
The Adult Outpatient Pavilion features all-new technology and communication systems, including MRIs, PET-CTs and X-ray machines. Even more prominent are treatments offered for the first time, particularly for advanced diseases and prognoses. VCU Health has now become the only facility between Pennsylvania and Florida with a ViewRay MRI-guided radiotherapy machine and two new medical linear accelerators (LINAC). These upgrades also support the expansion of clinical trials to further the system’s reach and impact across a diverse group of patients.
Waiting area inside the new Adult Outpatient Pavilion.
“The more advanced treatments and technology we can offer, the more we can reach additional populations,” says Robert A. Winn, M.D., director and Lipman Chair in Oncology at the VCU Massey Cancer Center.
The opening of the Adult Outpatient Pavilion coincided with the launch of Epic, a cloud-based, patient-centric electronic health record (EHR). MyChart, a new patient portal that integrates with Epic, makes it easy for patients to view their medical records, labs and test results, schedule appointments, request prescription refills and pay medical bills.
The little things matter at the Adult Outpatient Pavilion
To create a healing and comforting environment, waiting rooms are filled with natural light from floor-to-ceiling windows that offer views of Richmond. More than 1,000 original pieces by local artists, including local painter Baxter Perkinson, and photography capturing the beauty of Virginia span the walls. And that’s just the beginning. Patients and staff can now get a hot drink or snack in the ground-floor café. Additional therapeutic amenities, such as an integrative health center for acupuncture, yoga classes and support groups, foster collaboration and conversation.
Through cutting-edge technology and thoughtfully designed treatment spaces for clinicians and patients, these upgrades elevate the Adult Outpatient Pavilion beyond simply being a new facility — it’s a tangible demonstration of the way healthcare should be.
