40. Community Need In recent years there has been a systemic shift in the way health care is delivered. Advances in technology and across the field of medicine have resulted in many treatments and procedures that once required a hospitalization now being performed in an outpatient setting. This model increases patient satisfaction, decreases the risk of infection to patients, and lowers health care costs, but also widens disparities in access because not everybody has transportation to reach, or the means to stay close to, the care they need. For pediatric patients the hospitality housing offered by RMHC Dayton closes the gap on this inequity. In 2022 approximately 60 percent of registrations at the Ronald McDonald House included the patient, with many parents reporting if not for the services of the House, their child would not be able to fully comply with its care plan.
Unfortunately, the existing Ronald McDonald House is too small to meet the increased demand for Housing that has resulted from this shift in health care delivery. A problem that was compounded by the relocation of Shriner’s Children’s Ohio from Cincinnati to Dayton in 2021. Due to operating at its capacity, in 2022 the House had to turn away a staggering 75 percent of families who needed housing.
In addition to not having the capacity to house the volume of families in need, RMHC Dayton’s existing facility is not built for the needs of the population using it today, many of which include the patient. While compliant with ADA standards upon opening, those standards have improved through time and are not reflective of the unique needs of patients recovering from procedures and participating in immune compromising treatments.
In response, RMHC Dayton is constructing a new, 38,000 square foot building on its existing property. The new, expanded facility was designed by GBBN Architects, with extensive input from community members, medical service partners and patients and their families. It reflects the needs of all key stakeholders and will support the Dayton Community well into the future.
For funding purposes, and to open its doors to families sooner, the new House is being constructed in two phases. Phase 1 consists of a partial basement, 2 finished floors, and a shelled floor to accommodate future growth. This phase is fully funded. Upon its completion, the new House will have accessible, purpose-built respite and dining spaces and private accommodations for 21 families. In addition to increasing capacity, the new guest rooms have been designed to meet the needs of today’s population, including the increased number of patients staying. Changes to the rooms from those in our current space include additional beds, increased storage space for medical supplies, roll-in showers, widened doorways and workstations for telemedicine, remote work for caregivers and virtual schooling for patients and their siblings. When the shelled third floor is finished, the House will accommodate a total of 42 families. The room sizes will also be the appropriate to best accommodate the make-up and needs of guest families. There are a number of patients—including burn and reconstruction—who need specialized spaces and additional storage for wound care supplies and other medical equipment.
The expanded Ronald McDonald House will connect more families with the resources they need, provide better accessibility, and offer improved indoor and outdoor amenities to meet the respite needs of today’s families, patients, and service animals.
The Ronald McDonald House is in the heart of Old North Dayton and an expansion of this facility supports the significant investment the City of Dayton and Montgomery County have already made in this region through the Opportunity Zone and DaVinci Project initiatives. The construction of a new Ronald McDonald House promotes the economic well-being of the community, helps revitalize the neighborhood, and improves security for families.
Furthermore, the programs and services provided by the Ronald McDonald House help protect the economic status of families with pediatric patients. Data shows that medical debt is one of the leading causes of bankruptcy. RMHC helps to alleviate those costs to families. A one-night stay at a Ronald McDonald House is valued at $223 and in 2022 RMHC Dayton saved families 1.7 million in out-of-pocket food, lodging, and transportation expenses.
RMHC Dayton’s programs are evidence-based and support the social, emotional, and financial needs of families with pediatric patients.
Researchers drawn from leading universities, including University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), George Washington University, University of Chicago, as well as from hospitals and research institutions in Hong Kong; Sydney, Australia; the United Kingdom; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Toronto, Canada; and Cincinnati, Ohio; Southern California; Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Stanford (Palo Alto, California), U.S., have collaborated to examine the role that the Ronald McDonald House program plays in keeping families together during times of medical crises and enabling family-centered care. These studies collectively have demonstrated that the Ronald McDonald House program provides families with emotional and physical comfort and support, improves the child and family hospital experience, and improves the child’s recovery.