NIH Guest House Opens
By Sara Byars
Ribbon cutting ceremonies will open the NIH Guest House, which will provide overnight accommodations for Clinical Center patients and their families, on Sept. 27 at 1 p.m.
Temporarily quartered in Bldg. 20 (the apartment building across Center Dr. from the Clinical Center), the NIH Guest House will provide short-term lodging. The facility is a pilot initiative testing the feasibility of offering such housing on campus. If the pilot is a success, a permanent site will be found. The guest house has seven rooms: six efficiencies and a one-bedroom apartment.
Like the Children's Inn, the Guest House is based on the idea that clinical care is enhanced when families stay together. The purpose is to keep families whole while adults undergo outpatient treatment.
"Patient volunteers make unique sacrifices when they come here. We're hoping this facility will make it easier to participate in clinical research," said Dr. John I. Gallin, CC director. "For caregivers at the CC, the Guest House will be a more efficient way to keep their patients close by and comfortable during scheduled visits. Facilitating family support is an essential part of providing excellent clinical care."
The 44-year-old apartments received a face-lift and now look like standard hotel rooms. Each room will also have a refrigerator and a microwave.
In addition to outpatients and their families, the Guest House will accommodate clinical research volunteers, and occasionally guest lecturers and consultants.
The CC social work department will coordinate registration, booking on the basis of need using a computerized reservation system and certain admission criteria. The CC housekeeping and fabric care department will handle housekeeping duties.
Guests will receive keys to their rooms, just as they would in a hotel. A booklet outlining house policies will be given to guests as they register.
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