UAMS Jones Eye Institute – Walker Family Simulation & Education Center

Little Rock, AR

The 9th floor renovation of the UAMS Jones Eye Institute tower was a collective effort to expand services and programs for students and patients within an existing 11,000 SF floor plate. The project needed to house five separate entities – all on one floor: administrative and faculty offices, the Ophthalmic Technology Program, Clinical Trials, a new Surgical Simulation Suite, and a new eye clinic with 11 eye exam lanes.

Patient experience and comfort was paramount, so wayfinding was made simple by creating a blue “bridge” element leading to the clinic’s eye lanes from the reception desk, helping to cue patients after their exam to find their way back easily. Using space-sharing techniques helped to optimize the floor layout, including a large eye exam room that doubles as a real-world training room for students. The patient areas are located in the core of the plan, with employee/student areas like the Simulation Suite, Classrooms, Student Lounge, Faculty Offices, and a Shared Conference Room wrapping around the exterior, accessed only by their secured hallway. The goal of this project was to streamline employee functions, to create synergies wherever possible, to help train students in real-world settings for their careers in Ophthalmology, all culminating with the primary focus of continually improving patient experience.