VCU news

By Carrie Carroll

As Brianna Burke got her first glimpse of the inside of the new Children’s Pavilion at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at Virginia Commonwealth University, she could barely contain her excitement. The construction site that she has watched take shape for more than two years is finally complete.

The interactive floor in the Sky Lobby was the first thing to catch her attention. She gasped and giggled as the fish and turtles darted and swam around her feet in the virtual river and could not hide her surprise when she stepped on a clam and it opened to reveal a pretty pearl. “I love this,” she exclaimed. “This is my favorite.”

Brianna and her mom, Nicole Houser, got a sneak peek at the new building before the ribbon-cutting event on March 9, at which Brianna had the fun privilege of helping to cut the ribbon. The family was chosen to participate because Brianna is a frequent patient at CHoR with regular monthly visits, sometimes more.

When Houser received the phone call asking the family to take part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Brianna’s eyes got really big and she screamed, followed by a little dance. She then told her mom that they would have to go shopping for a new outfit immediately.

The family lives in Hampton, Virginia, so when they travel to Richmond, Brianna has several appointments in one day to see different specialists for her care. She spends an entire day visiting her doctors on VCU Health’s MCV Campus, crossing the street between the old Children’s Pavilion and VCU Medical Center as many as four times in one visit because her specialists are housed in different buildings.

“Normally when we arrive, we park at the old pavilion and cross the busy street for her appointment with pulmonary located on the first floor of Nelson Clinic,” said Houser. “Once the appointment is over, we may go to an appointment on the fifth floor of Nelson Clinic or journey back outside across the street to the old pavilion for her infusions. After the infusions, she may have another appointment in Main Hospital, which requires us to go back across the street.

The new Children’s Pavilion will allow Brianna to have all of her routine testing, infusions and appointments in one central location.

“There have been several occasions when her physicians have been gracious enough to come to Brianna at the infusion clinic for her last appointment because she was so exhausted from her long day. The new Children’s Pavilion will allow Brianna to have all of her routine testing, infusions and appointments in one central location.”

Brianna has been diagnosed with several complex autoimmune disorders. Her condition began with swollen hands when she was 6 years old. This was her only symptom. Her mother took her to a doctor who diagnosed her with strep throat and put her on antibiotics. When the antibiotics did not help, blood tests were done and an appointment was made with a rheumatologist.

She came to CHoR about two-and-a-half years ago and through the collective efforts of sub-specialists, her underlying medical process began to be delineated. Her current diagnoses include scleroderma, interstitial lung disease, autoimmune hepatitis and immunodeficiency. This diagnosis is a “working” diagnosis, and her physicians are constantly assessing and making adjustments to her treatment and care.

She currently sees specialists in immunology, pulmonology, nephrology and dermatology. She visits the infusion clinic monthly for infusions — medicine prescribed by her immunologist that she receives intravenously through a central line, a process which takes approximately four hours.

Brianna was most impressed with the diagnostic pod that contained the infusion center where she will receive her infusions. With its floor-to-ceiling glass windows that reveal spectacular views of the city, comfortable chairs and individual televisions, it is a vast improvement from the former infusion space. Her only concern was that her regular nurse would not be with her in the new space. “Wendy will still be your nurse,” reassured Jan Kirby, Brianna’s patient advocate at CHoR. “The building might change, but the people taking care of you won’t.”

The outpatient Children’s Pavilion will officially open to patients and families on March 21. As health care advances, more and more pediatric care is now handled in outpatient facilities. In 2014, 90 percent of visits to CHoR were classified as outpatient. With specialists in every care category and loads of new space (the new building has 640,000 square feet compared to the old facility’s 54,000), the new Children’s Pavilion is equipped with everything its young patients need, including clinics, radiology, outpatient surgery, lab testing, dialysis and infusions. The special layout and design help to better coordinate each child’s care, making it easier on parents and more collaborative for the care team.

“This will be a game-changer for a lot of our patients and their families,” said Kirby.

The primary goal for the layout and design of the new building was to create a space, complete with color-coded floors, child-friendly interactive displays and outdoor space, that is easy for patients and families to navigate. The James River and its wooded surroundings were a source of inspiration for the design. Materials, colors and patterns found in nature can be found throughout the Children’s Pavilion, with references to tree groves, stepping-stones, canopies and natural light.

“Brianna is one of the bravest patients I have met,” said Brant Ward, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor of allergy and immunology at CHoR. “When I first met her, she was so sick and in so much pain, but she has persevered. Now when I see her, she smiles and tells me how she reads stories to her brother. It’s been a great transformation.”

Since coming to CHoR, Brianna has transformed according to Houser. Like every 10-year-old, she dreams big and has an extensive list of careers in mind for when she is older. “I want to be a doctor and cure cancer when I’m 35,” she said. “I want to be an entertainer, singer, archaeologist, fashion designer and model.” Brianna’s future is looking bright.

 

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