Denver Health Hybrid OR

Denver Health and Hospital Authority (DHHA) is a critical safety net for trauma patients, underserved communities, and families who rely on access to high-quality care regardless of their ability to pay. Located in Pavilion A on Denver Health’s campus, this project called for more than a renovation. It required a thoughtful reimagining of how advanced surgical care could be delivered within the constraints of an aging building, while still meeting the demands of modern hospital design and healthcare architecture. . This was not just about adding square footage; it was about unlocking potential in a space that had long been overlooked.

The Hybrid OR project transformed 3,000 square feet of existing space within a 1967 inpatient tower that had seen little change since its original construction. The 14-foot floor-to-floor height posed a significant challenge for contemporary medical planning, particularly for a hybrid operating room that integrates advanced imaging, robotic surgery, and trauma capabilities. Yet the need was clear: DHHA required a hybrid OR to support complex surgical interventions and trauma cases arriving by helicopter, along with additional operating rooms to meet growing patient demand.

DHHA initially envisioned a hybrid OR alongside multiple general operating rooms and support spaces. As we studied the existing conditions—structural limitations, outdated utilities, and insufficient cooling capacity—it became clear that careful prioritization would be essential. Working closely with DHHA leadership, surgeons, and OR staff, the Treanor Health team stepped back to ask a fundamental question: What combination of spaces would deliver the greatest impact for patients and caregivers?

That collaborative process led to a refined program focused on performance and flexibility. The final scope includes an 800-square-foot hybrid OR strategically located along the trauma corridor, a dedicated hybrid OR control room, a 550-square-foot general OR sized specifically for robotic-assisted surgery and teaching, clean core for supplies, four scrub sink areas, and four stretcher alcoves. The result is a compact yet highly functional suite that supports current needs while anticipating future demands in innovative hospital design.

At just 3,000 square feet, this project reinforces an important truth: no project is too small to matter.  By understanding the big picture from trauma workflows to teaching needs, we were able to deliver a solution that aligns with Denver Health’s mission and future growth. The project also advanced sustainable hospital architecture in a meaningful way. During design, we evaluated the use of piped nitrous oxide versus point-of-use cylinders. That investigation ultimately led DHHA to fully decommission its piped nitrous oxide system across the entire hospital—the first facility in Colorado to do so—significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and operational risk.

Designing within a post-tensioned concrete structure from the 1960s required precision and creativity. With the bottom of the structure at just 11 feet, 10 inches, we collaborated with surgical staff and technology partners to rethink how systems could be integrated in the above-ceiling space.

The breakthrough came with the use of a FlexibleOR integrated ceiling system. This solution consolidated structural support for imaging equipment, surgical lights, booms, and utilities into a single coordinated framework. It allowed the hybrid OR to function at a level comparable to new construction, despite the tight vertical constraints. Simply put, without this system, the project would not have been possible.

Infrastructure upgrades were equally critical. The project added a new rooftop air handling unit and associated mechanical and plumbing systems to meet current building and health codes—an essential step for compliance, safety, and long-term performance in modern hospital design.  This new RTU also freed up capacity in the existing HVAC system to help other areas of the OR suite struggling with maintaining air pressurization.

Throughout the process, user-group engagement was key. Surgeons and OR staff were deeply involved, helping shape compromises and solutions that balanced space limitations with clinical efficiency. That buy-in ensured the spaces would not only work on paper, but perform in practice.

This hybrid OR is more than a technical achievement. It is an investment in equity, resilience, and community health. By expanding access to advanced surgical and trauma care, Denver Health can continue serving patients who need it most—often at the most critical moments of their lives.

For DHHA, the project delivers state-of-the-art capabilities within an existing facility, maximizing resources while meeting the highest standards of hospital design and medical planning. For clinicians, it provides efficient, well-coordinated spaces that support teaching, innovation, and lifesaving care. For the broader community, it reinforces Denver Health’s role as a trusted provider of cutting-edge care for all. In its first year, the Hybrid OR completed 433 complex surgical cases by bringing advanced imaging and multidisciplinary expertise together in one room. Surgeons, anesthesiologists, cardiologists and vascular specialists collaborate in real time, improving efficiency and response times.

This is what healthcare architecture can do when it’s grounded in partnership, driven by purpose, and unafraid of complexity.