Exterior, Melrose-Wakefield Medical Building
Wakefield, MA – Hallmark Health recently opened the Melrose-Wakefield Medical Building, a 30,000sf outpatient center delivering healthcare for residents living in Boston’s northern suburbs. Designed by CannonDesign, the building embeds primary and preventive care services within the community and employs a patient-centered medical home model focused on comprehensive care delivery.
Functionally, the building provides primary care, specialty care, and rehabilitation services, as well as standard outpatient services, including lab and x-ray. True to the medical home model, the building was designed to bring a team of health professionals together to coordinate every aspect of patient care.
Central to this model is the building’s collaborative inner core, which physically brings physicians, nurses, nutritionists, social workers, and others together. Surrounding the collaborative core are 20 exam rooms, each with dual doors to separate patient and staff flow.
Another key attribute to the medical home model is accessibility. Surrounded by residential homes and bus and rail lines, the Melrose-Wakefield Medical Building accomplishes this by embedding itself into the residential context of the community. This commitment to accessibility translates to the building design, too; the majority of the building is transparent and designed to symbolically break the barriers often associated with access to care.
Interior reception area
The interior design takes its cues from retail and hospitality, creating a setting that feels more like a spa than a clinical environment. Stone, wood, bright colors, natural light, and expansive artwork deliver a welcoming aesthetic that complements the surroundings; public areas feel more like community gathering spaces than traditional waiting rooms.
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“This building is a wonderful example of the re-engineering we’re seeing within the healthcare industry,” said David Blouin, vice president CannonDesign. “Healthcare is no longer confined solely to hospital settings – it happens everywhere and involves a team of care providers. By integrating this new clinic into the fabric of the Greenwood neighborhood of Wakefield, Hallmark Health is taking a big leap toward effectively managing the health and wellness of its patient population.”
“Ultimately, this building delivers high-quality, cost-effective, patient-focused care,” added Blouin. “It is aligned with where the future of healthcare delivery is headed, and puts Hallmark Health in a position to profoundly impact the health and wellness of its communities.”
