content sponsored by Appalachian Realty
You may think of art in museums, restaurants, or your home, but in a hospital setting, art addresses the health of the human body and spirit. It reminds us of the human connections, life experiences, and memories that can comfort us as we confront illness. The art at Mission Hospital North Tower (MHNT) plays an integral role in supporting the healing process while enhancing patient, family, team member, and community experiences.
Mission Hospital put out a call to local artists in August of 2018. The answer to this call was astounding with hundreds of local artists wanting to contribute. A Mission Hospital committee commissioned the chosen works based on their representation of the 18 counties cared for in the HCA Healthcare North Carolina Division, leading to 659 total pieces from 159 local artists. The design of the new building centered on creating a healing environment, with each floor of the tower having one of five elements as its core theme: earth (mountains), wood (forest), water (rivers, lakes, and streams), metal (rocks and minerals) and air (sky, find, and flight). Along with local artwork, there are areas of respite, including a healing courtyard, chapel, and a third-floor outdoor terrace.
Art in hospitals has been proven to contribute to healing, quicker recovery, and comfort for patients. For the new Mission Hospital North Tower, Western North Carolina artists were commissioned to create art emphasizing nature and healing. What came in might just inspire you to take a second—and possibly a third—look.
Photo courtesy of Aaron Hogsed
With more than 220 patient rooms and 40 public areas, there are plenty of opportunities to display the more than 650 pieces of commissioned art, which include paintings, photographs, sculptures, ceramics, textiles, encaustic, glass, metal, and origami, highlighting the great regional creatives and talented local artists showcased throughout MHNT’s rooms, halls, and open areas.
“Our focus is on our patients and in building Mission Hospital North Tower, we are able to deliver the most effective care with the best possible results. Our investment in our community with the latest technology, treatment, tools, and this incredible display of local art allows our excellent staff to make excellence happen as they care for our most important people–our patients,” said Chad Patrick, CEO of Mission Hospital. “During this time of crisis across the country, we are so proud of our staff at Mission Hospital as they have delivered exceptional care to every patient.”
Mission Hospital’s North Tower opened for patient care on October 6, 2019, and the facility showcases hundreds of creations produced by local and regional artists, serving as a complement to the healing work the hospital team members deliver there every day. The facility’s design also optimizes views to natural settings and increases natural light, creating an environment of healing to help improve patient outcomes by reducing anxiety and stress. Views and feelings of being in nature have been found to help patients recover faster by reducing their anxiety and stress. Natural daylight can also help reduce depression and anxiety while improving sleep cycles and quality of sleep.
Mission Hospital’s 134-year legacy continues with the new facility designed for comfort, built for healing, and equipped with the latest technology to care for the people of Western North Carolina. In it art, community, and health intersect to create a healing environment for friends, family, and neighbors.
The Mission Hospital North Tower not only displays the artists that represent Western North Carolina, but creates an atmosphere of healing and restoration that’s nature- and culturally inspired by our neighbors. By providing positive distractions to patients of all ages, the artwork plays an integral role in supporting the healing process while enhancing the patient, family, staff, and community experience.
