Ford Health System

CEO explains Michigan hospital's luxe makeover

Hospital near Detroit feels like a luxury hotel and treats patients like guests

By Healthcare Facilities Today


Henry Ford Health System near Detroit looks and feels like a luxury hotel -- and treats patients like valued guests, according to an article and video on the CBS News website.

Nancy Schlichting, chief executive officer of Henry Ford said her goal was to build a hospital that would become a go-to destination, a place people actually wanted to be.

Schlichting recognized that hospitals needed an image makeover, but she took a leap of faith by hiring an executive from Ritz-Carlton to design, and then run, the $360 million facility, according to the article.

The focus on patients begins immediately. Arriving guests are greeted by wheelchair valets. They pass by a spa, the hair salon, and designer gift shops as they travel through an enclosed atrium to their private room.

Dr. Mark Rosenblum heads the hospital's neurosurgery department said the patient-focused approach speeds up the healing process. 

"Any patient's family can stay here anytime, night or day," Rosenblum said in the article. "It's important for a patient's well-being and recovery to see their loved ones, to be less in a stark, uncomfortable, unusual environment. We think it helps."

Read the article and watch accompanying video.

 



February 3, 2014


Topic Area: Architecture


Recent Posts

Grounding Healthcare Spaces in Hospitality Principles

Thoughtful design can establish the calm of a spa and the restorative feeling of a resort in healthcare spaces, bringing benefits for patients and care providers.


UC Davis Health Selects Rudolph and Sletten for Central Utility Plant Expansion

Work is already underway with substantial completion anticipated in the fall of 2027.


Cape Cod Healthcare Opens Upper 2 Floors of Edwin Barbey Patient Care Pavilion

The first two floors opened for patients in May 2025 and house the Davenport-Mugar Cancer Center.


Building Sustainable Healthcare for an Aging Population

Traditional responses — building more primary and secondary care facilities — are no longer sustainable.


Froedtert ThedaCare Announces Opening of ThedaCare Medical Center-Oshkosh

The organization broke ground on the health campus in March 2024.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

 
 
 
 

Healthcare Facilities Today membership includes free email newsletters from our facility-industry brands.

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Posts

Copyright © 2023 TradePress. All rights reserved.