Wausau Windows Contribute to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital's Award-Winning Cardiac Surgery Center


Wausau, Wis. -- For more than two years, the Cardiac Surgery Center of Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, Ill., has been applauded for its comprehensive, state-of-the-art cardiac facility and services. Its awards and honors include:

One of 12 cardiac programs in Illinois identified by BlueCross / BlueShield as a "Center of Distinction for Cardiac Care"

Best quality cardiac surgery program in the State of Illinois and awarded the Overall Cardiac Care Excellence Award by HealthGrades, the nation's leading hospital rating system

One of 18 structures recognized among the 2006 Project Innovations by Buildings.

Contributing to this award-winning hospital center, Wausau Window and Wall Systems worked closely with architects at Loebl Schlossman and Hackl, Chicago, and general contractor Power Construction, Schaumburg, Ill. Meeting their desired design criteria, Wausau provided a high-performance window system for the 58,000-square-foot, $30.3 million facility.

Wausau's sales, engineering and fabrication staff collaborated with the design-build team to accommodate the accelerated construction schedule. Through these combined efforts, the building was able to open early -- within 16 months from the start of the construction phase.

This newly constructed, three-level addition to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital links the existing surgery suite and the new open-heart suite. Wausau's SuperWall envelops the center's dedicated entrance, greeting staff, patients and their families with a large waiting area full of natural light. Wausau also manufactured the expansive ribbon windows that span two stories and wrap the building. These glass bands enhance the horizontal feel of the campus' composition and the original buildings' brick exteriors.

"It's an impressive use of glass and curtainwall," says Ron Durak, AIA, senior project manager with Prime Architectural Metal and Glass Inc. He notes that the new window system on the Cardiac Surgery Center's addition connects with Wausau's previously installed curtainwall on the Ambulatory Care Center's western facade.

The new cardiac facility's modern performance features Wausau's 3250 Series windows with Insulbar® thermal barriers, low-e glass by Viracon, and champagne colored paint finished by Linetec. Integral Venetian blinds offer convenience and cleanliness, while allowing patients to control the sunlight in their rooms. Beyond thermal performance, the Center for Health Design has reported that patients in brightly lighted rooms have a shorter length of stay and those exposed to increased intensity of sunlight experience less perceived stress and had 20% less pain medication costs.

Inside, the Cardiac Surgery Center houses an 18-bed cardiac-care unity and 25 private rooms for patients requiring less acute care. Its "universal room" patient-care delivery system allows patients to remain in the same room throughout their stay, while the staff adapts to bring the appropriate care to their beside. The Center also has an open-heart surgery operation room and cardiac-catheterization lab with complete diagnostic and interventional capabilities.

Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital's Cardiac Surgery Center employs more than 60 surgeons and cardiologists supported by a staff of more than 160 cardiac nurses and technicians. Since it opened in July 2004, is has served 4,850 patients, and more than 3,000 cardiac catheterization procedures and 600 open-heart surgeries have been performed within its walls.

Nationally recognized for its innovative expertise, Wausau Window and Wall Systems is an industry leader in engineering window and curtainwall systems for commercial and institutional construction applications. For 50 years, Wausau has worked closely with architects, building owners and contractors to realize their vision for aesthetic beauty and lasting value, while striving to maintain the highest level of customer service, communication and overall satisfaction.

Wausau is a part of Apogee Enterprises, Inc., a publicly held, U.S. corporation. For more information on Wausau Window and Wall Systems, please call 877-678-2983, or visit www.WausauWindow.com.

Media Contact: Heather West, 612-724-8760, heatherwest@earthlink.net

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