New hospital to open for tours

After 10 years of planning, design and construction, the new Stanford Hospital will officially open its doors to patients in late November. But on Sept. 14 and 15, local residents can get a sneak peek inside as part of Community Days, a two-day open house featuring tours of the 824,000-square-foot facility and a health- and wellness-inspired street fair. 

“We are thrilled that our vision of expanding our world-class academic medical center has come to fruition,” said David Entwistle, president and CEO of Stanford Health Care. “The new Stanford Hospital is first and foremost our community’s hospital. Community Days is an opportunity to share it with our local community first, before opening the doors to our first patients later this fall.”

With the opening of the new hospital, Stanford Health Care more than doubles its capacity with the addition of 368 new private patient rooms and a new 76-bed trauma center and emergency department that is more than twice the size of the current emergency department. In addition to serving the surrounding community, Stanford Hospital is the only Level I trauma center between San Francisco and San Jose, treating the most critically ill and injured patients from across the region brought in by Life Flight helicopter or ambulance. The new Stanford Hospital becomes the latest addition to the expanding Stanford Medicine enterprise focused on research, discovery and delivery of complex medical care. 

“Community Days will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the general public to go behind the scenes of the new hospital before it opens,” said Maggie Pringle Grauer, chair of the Stanford Medicine Community Council. “We are creating an experiential tour that will give visitors a firsthand look at the delivery of modern medicine.”

During the September event, Stanford docents will lead visitors on 50-minute tours of the new facility, from the trauma bay to the hybrid operating rooms, imaging suites, patient rooms and gardens. Tour highlights include an up-close look at the inner workings of the new hospital — the base isolators that protect it from a major earthquake, the robots that deliver supplies throughout the hospital, the technology-rich patient rooms and operating suites, the 400 pieces of original art, and the acres of rooftop gardens. Experts will be on hand to answer questions about the building’s design and construction and the advanced patient care technologies inside. 

“In the plaza outside, between the original Stanford Hospital and the new building, there will be a street fair with activities for all ages. Interactive activities for play and learning will keep the youngest attendees engaged,” said Pringle Grauer. 

Booths will feature demonstrations of the latest telehealth and virtual reality tools used in surgery and patient care, health and nutrition advice, and a knowledge bar staffed by experts who can answer questions about the new hospital. Food trucks will fill the streets, and the Stanford VOICES digital mural project will be unveiled. This digital display weaves together more than 3,000 drawings completed by patients, staff and community members to tell the story of Stanford Medicine. 

“Community Days is an opportunity for people to see Stanford Hospital as their community hospital,” said organizer Carla Scheifly, associate director of community outreach and engagement for Stanford Medicine. Scheifly’s team worked with the Stanford Medicine Community Council to plan activities for the 3,000 people expected each day. “Stanford Hospital is here for you, not only when you’re sick, but as a community resource to help you stay well.”

The two-day event is open to all, with free, ample parking and shuttle access to the hospital entrance. Pre-registration is required. Sign up for a tour online.