Balfour Resource Group Helps Neonatal Intensive Care Patients Transfer Safely to New Facility

Dallas, TX, October 05, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Moving over 60 premature and ill babies from an existing neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) to a new, expanded facility is a delicate operation. On September 23, Balfour Resource Group coordinated “moving day” at Women & Infants’ Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, successfully transferring patients and sensitive medical equipment from the hospital’s main building to its new, five-story South Pavilion.

Working with hospital staff, the Balfour Resource Group conducted time-motion studies to estimate how long it would take to move each patient. The 20-person “move team” included six employees from Balfour Resource Group, as well as hospital staff and volunteers. Together, the team carefully coordinated each step, planning for possible complications. In case a baby stopped breathing during the move, they set up two resuscitation stations along the route. They also stationed security to keep the corridors clear.

Starting at 7:30 am, the team moved 15 high-risk mothers to new beds, followed by 68 fragile infants—the smallest weighing little over one pound and only two weeks old. Even with the addition of two babies, who were admitted during the transition, the process ran seamlessly.

“Patient safety had to be the number one priority,” said Kimberly M. Silvestri, Director of Facilities Development and Space Planning for the hospital. “If moving the largest single-family-room NICU in the country isn't challenging enough, we expected impeccable planning, flawless implementation and timing, and complete coordination of all vendors, staff, patients, and families. The Balfour team achieved that and made our moving day a tremendous success, accomplished ahead of schedule with no incident.”

“It was a very emotional move,” said Edward Hernandez, Vice President of Balfour Resource Group. “When the life of an infant is in your hands, you want to make sure you’re taking every precaution.”

In addition to the patient move, Balfour Resource Group developed the transition plan for the 140,000-square-foot South Pavilion; coordinated the installation of equipment and furniture, including 80 NICU patient beds and 30 antenatal patient beds; and facilitated the transition and advancements of the facility’s technology systems.

About Balfour Resource Group and Balfour Beatty Construction
A subsidiary of Balfour Beatty Construction, Nashville-based Balfour Resource Group provides services for healthcare facilities, including medical equipment planning and management, strategic capital equipment planning, technology implementation, and transition planning. For more information, visit www.balfourresourcegroup.com.

Balfour Beatty Construction has been a leader in the U.S. commercial construction industry for 76 years, providing general contracting, at-risk construction management, design-build, preconstruction, public/private and turnkey services for clients nationwide. The company employs 1,600 professionals and is part of London-based Balfour Beatty plc, a leading international engineering, construction, and investment business exceeding $16 billion in annual revenues. For more information, visit www.balfourbeattyus.com.

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