Palomar Health to construct crisis stabilization unit

ESCONDIDO – Palomar Health, an Escondido, California-based health care district, and RAD Technology Medical Systems, a design-build construction company specializing in patented modular building systems for the health care industry, recently announced plans to construct a standalone crisis stabilization unit on the Palomar Medical Center Escondido campus.

When completed, this unit will provide short-term care for patients experiencing an acute psychiatric or substance use crisis.

For the last 10 years, hospitalization for mental or substance use disorders has increased at a faster rate than any other clinical disease category for hospital admission. This increase makes the CSU critical to serving the needs of San Diego North County Inland communities by freeing Emergency Department beds, stabilizing mental health patients in a less restrictive environment and improving community safety.

“This program puts patients first,” Sheila Brown, Palomar Health vice president of continuum of care, said. “We go to great lengths to make sure our patients are treated by the highest quality behavioral health professionals, in a stress-reducing atmosphere in a timely manner.”

Palomar Health currently operates an eight-bed CSU at its downtown Escondido campus, which is in the process of being sold. When the new facility is completed, it will consist of 6,000 square feet and include capacity for 16 patient treatment areas, patient showers, a check-in area, storage for belongings, a nurses’ station, medication storage and an outdoor lounge. Groundbreaking is scheduled for early spring 2018, and the CSU will open and treat patients by the summer 2018.

RAD’s modular technology and method of project delivery and time savings was exactly what the project needed.

RAD worked collaboratively with the Palomar Health team and architect Mascari Warner to design a customized two-story CSU facility with a curved floor plan. This maximizes the available space on the small site to ensure the entire program would fit into one facility. The floor plan of the building is designed to provide an efficient and secure patient experience.

“This is our latest clinical facility and our first crisis stabilization project,” John Lefkus, RAD’s president, said. “We are excited that our modular technology and financial model will allow Palomar Health to enter a new market.”