SAINT FRANCIS HEALTH SYSTEM- Tulsa, OK

Saint Francis Health System has been serving the residents of Tulsa and eastern Oklahoma for over 50 years. In order to meet the growing demands of the community and provide better care, Saint Francis Health System has undertaken a $250 million expansion project. As a part of this project, Rippe Associates was contracted to redesign the foodservice facilities in the hospital.

The renovation at Saint Francis Health System’s hospital in Tulsa was a collaborative effort between the hospital, the architectural firm – Studio Eles and Rippe Associates. The redesign process incorporated the latest industry trends, implementing modern and efficient designs to promote menu variety, flexibility, and workflow improvements. The redesign not only enhances the customer experience for patients and visitors but also provides a more comfortable and inviting environment for the staff.

The project initially began as a master plan aimed at revitalizing the retail foodservice at the basement level of a multi-story hospital tower. The plan went through revisions and additions, resulting in a phased retail renovation. At first, it encompassed a section of the existing servery, but as the first phase was being designed several other projects were added on. These included a salad/bowls station, catering area, coffee shop, and the physician’s lounge.

The goal of the project was to modernize the space while maintaining its existing footprint and offering more variety to staff and visitors. One of the project challenges included working with low ceilings conditions, this restricted the ability to modify the exhaust hoods or their locations, as they extended through multiple floors of the hospital. The use of existing hoods required creative yet functional station designs.

The project also involved a complex phasing process to ensure parts of the serving area remained open during construction. The dining room was completed first to showcase the future space and generate excitement among guests, despite limited food offerings during the construction phase.

Key pieces of equipment included a rotating stone hearth oven for pizzas, which introduced a new concept to the space. This allowed the food and nutrition team to expand their menu and enhance the quality of their products. In order to support the hot food and bowls station, ventless combi ovens and grills were used, as adding more exhaust hoods was not feasible. The project included unique refrigerated and dry bakery cases to match the hospitality themed aesthetics.

Rippe Associates is proud to be a part of this significant hospital renovation project that serves the community and the healthcare industry. The teamwork and camaraderie of the operator and design team has led to several additional Saint Francis partnerships including the addition to the South campus, renovations at Muskogee, Warren clinic and Laureate Psychiatric Clinic and Hospital and a new Cancer Center