Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

The renovated core lab will allow CHoP to increase its testing capacity by 25% while keeping its current lab footprint. HERA also strategized a plan to reduce the number of phases from the original eight down to four, greatly reducing cost and construction duration.

The renovated lab implements Lean principles to improve workflow, increase sightlines and eliminate processing constraints via limited space for receiving. The design integrates high-volume equipment and allows for future advances in robotics.

HERA worked with end users to locate swing space and redundancies to allow the core lab to continue operations throughout construction. The design team also strategized safely reopening the labs amidst a pandemic, pivoting from the standard strategy of maximizing occupancy to thinking through social distancing and other safe protocols.

The core lab includes space for chemistry, hematology, coag, bone marrow, ICP, receiving and offices.

A COVID-19 testing lab was added as an emergency piece of the project. HERA assisted in the development of the lab, which will be encompassed within the existing Core Lab footprint. The addition has a 5-week design and construction documentation schedule and includes three testing instruments, sample prep, accessioning stations and sample drop-off and window.

The renovation was a result of an overall clinical lab master plan. HERA worked with the end users to understand their needs and workflow while providing an efficient design to minimize impact to the existing spaces.