Houston, Texas -– The new Memorial Hermann Katy Hospital at Interstate 10 and the Grand Parkway employs the latest digital healthcare technology to treat the body while creating an environment that stimulates an attitude of healing.

“This new hospital gives us a wonderful opportunity to incorporate homelike features that patients tell us they want while building in new technology and laying the groundwork for future advancements,” said Scott Barbe, chief executive officer of Memorial Hermann Katy.

The seven-story, 320,000-square-foot hospital provides top-quality care in 127 private patient rooms.

Technological innovations include an advanced electronic medical record system, paperless check-in using tablet PCs, positive patient ID using arm-band scanning and tracking in the operating room (OR) that enables physicians, staff and families to privately follow a patient’s surgical progress using large display screens in waiting rooms, ORs and post-op/pre-op areas.

Patient diagnosis also is enhanced with a new 3-Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. This 3-Tesla MRI is twice as strong as conventional units and provides unsurpassed imaging and diagnostic capabilities, according to imaging director Steve Dinwiddie. “The image quality is much better, and the imaging is much faster,” he explained.

The mental, spiritual and aesthetic aspects of healing also are emphasized in the architecture and through innovative patient care initiatives.

“We are striving to get away from the perception of hospitals as institutional and impersonal,” Barbe said. “We can provide top-quality care in a soothing, attractive environment with some of the comforts of home. In many cases, we can also give patients control over decisions such as when and what they eat, what they wear and what music they listen to.”

For example, members of the experienced nursing staff are trained in aromatherapy, music therapy and massage.

Each patient floor features a meditation room and kitchen area. Patients and their families can view and access a healing garden from multiple locations. The first-floor chapel includes a private consultation areas and stained-glass windows. Tastefully decorated patient rooms include guest sleeping accommodations, flat-screen TVs, DVD players, desks and armoires. On the ground floor, visitors can relax in a family TV lounge with a play area or take care of business tasks in a resource center with wireless Internet connectivity.

Patient meals will be based on a room-service model. Instead of receiving standardized meals at set times, patients can pick up the phone any time to order from menus tailored to their dietary needs and restrictions. They can also order guest trays for family members. The roomy, updated café on the first floor also offers a wide selection of items.

Other highlights of the new hospital include a 17-bed emergency center with eight additional observation beds and an accredited chest pain center. Designated a Level IV trauma center, the emergency center will have Life Flight access.