Baton Rouge General Medical Center Employees Raise Money to Install Play Areas in ERs

June 14, 2011

“The ER is where we most often care for our co-workers, our neighbors and even our own families,” says Beth Veazey, Vice President and Chief Development Officer of the hospital’s foundation. “It also says to anyone who enters that this is a family community hospital.”

In 2010, Baton Rouge General (BRG) ran an employee-giving program called “You, Me and BRG.” The goal, according to Veazey, was to raise money in three areas: 1) an employee assistance fund, 2) internal grants and 3) a hospital-focused project.

“The hospital can be a scary place in the eyes of a child and, because of this, our employees decided to focus on creating a more kid-friendly atmosphere in our emergency rooms,” says Veazey, explaining that BRG has hospitals in two locations – Mid-City and Bluebonnet. “Our employees know first-hand that children require special care and attention, and it is our goal to make sure they are as comfortable as possible while seeking care.”

BRG turned to WHLC Architecture, with whom they had a long-standing relationship, for the design of their new ER play areas. Angelle Lavergne, Project Coordinator with WHLC, says her firm did a tremendous amount of research on the many possible options to entertain kids in ER waiting rooms. This research led to the coordinated effort between WHLC and BRG to design play areas with custom carpeting and interactive play elements created by PLAYTIME, LLC.

“The goal was to create something colorful and eye-catching but to maintain the aesthetic of the hospital,” says Lavergne. “Our spaces were small, so we needed to select elements that would be both fun and functional. We proposed PLAYTIME products because they actively engage the children at their own level while serving the functional purpose of seating for clientele.”

Lavergne also says that the goal of the play areas is to entertain the children without distracting other patients. The custom carpeting and low-profile play elements create a colorful and cheery environment without feeling overwhelming. The play areas provide vibrant inviting spaces that allow kids to play, climb and crawl, or to just relax and watch TV.

Working with PLAYTIME, says Lavergne, “was wonderful. I called and explained my project and everyone on the team was extremely helpful in answering all my questions, getting me 3D models and providing samples of materials to show the client.”

Under WHLC’s instruction, PLAYTIME created custom carpeting to match the themes in the two play areas, which are “Under the Sea” and “The Great Outdoors.”

“The kids use the carpeting to make up stories,” says Veazey. “I had not even thought about them using the carpeting like that.”

According to Lindsey Ferguson, PLAYTIME’s Business Development Manager, “The carpet is specifically designed to be interactive with the soft-foam play elements. The two components combine to create an illusion that helps inspire kids’ imaginations in a way that would not be possible with just one or the other present.”

The play areas were installed in April 2011 and Veazey says that they are not only popular with patients but they have made employees proud of their contribution to the hospital.

“We are running another campaign this year and we are exceeding our goal,” says Veazey. “I am sure that the success of this year’s campaign has a lot to do with the new play areas. Our employees are proud to be a part of something that brings so many smiles to children in our community. They are even more excited that the funds they gave last year supported something they saw a great need for.”