{"id":874686,"date":"2025-11-05T12:25:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T17:25:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/?p=874686"},"modified":"2025-11-07T13:33:22","modified_gmt":"2025-11-07T18:33:22","slug":"childrens-nebraska-steelcase-health-innovate-to-connect-care-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.steelcase.com\/research\/articles\/topics\/healthcare\/childrens-nebraska-steelcase-health-innovate-to-connect-care-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Children&#8217;s Nebraska &#038; Steelcase Health Innovate to Connect Care for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote class=\"pull-quote pull-quote-center \"><p>\u201cWhat if you could make access to care so seamless, people didn\u2019t even think about it?\u201d <\/p><cite>Dr. Jen McWilliams<span>Division Chief for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Children\u2019s Nebraska<\/span><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<p>What if a sick child\u2019s hospital visit didn\u2019t begin in a waiting room, but in a space designed to make kids feel safe and families supported? What if hospitals were built to spark ideas, in addition to treating illnesses? And what if technology could close the gap between rural communities and specialists hundreds of miles away \u2013 making care feel personal, even from a distance?<\/p>\n<p>These aren\u2019t just questions \u2013 they\u2019re the foundation of a bold vision for healthcare at Children\u2019s Nebraska.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-874755 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1762361901\/25-0264263.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" \/><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>The Mammel Innovation Center at Children\u2019s Nebraska is a purpose-driven facility designed to help answer those big \u201cwhat if\u201d questions. It serves as a catalyst \u2013 where cardiologists bump into respiratory therapists and surgeons brainstorm with technologists. Built in 2024, the 10,000-square-foot Center houses cutting-edge technologies like 3D printing, virtual reality, and AI, alongside immersive spaces for collaboration and experimentation. By intentionally designing an environment with social spaces that invite people to linger and connect, the center fosters bold thinking among clinicians. It explores how physical space can shape healing and human connection.<\/p>\n<p>Open, flexible and full of natural light, Steelcase worked with its partners, architect and design firm HDR and dealer Sheppard\u2019s Business Interiors to create an environment where ideas are born, tested, refined and scaled.<\/p>\n<div style=\"position: relative; width: 100%; height: 0; padding-bottom: 56.25%;\"><iframe style=\"position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%;\" title=\"Video for &quot;25-0264661&quot;\" src=\"https:\/\/steelcase.widen.net\/view\/video\/h63lmiof07\/25-0264661.mp4?u=1fildd\" frameborder=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<p>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe wanted the experience from the moment you walked in the door to feel inspired and empowered,\u201d says Ryan Cameron, who leads the center.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"pull-quote pull-quote-center \"><p>\u201cYou can\u2019t dream big sitting all alone at your desk. We built the Mammel Innovation Center so those conversations could happen and people could share big ideas. It\u2019s a signal that innovation matters here.\u201d<\/p><cite>Ryan Cameron<span>Vice-President of Technology and Innovation<\/span><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>Bridging the distance + advancing access with Ocular View<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>One exploration at the Center provides the perfect environment for bold thinking and collaboration. Here, the Children\u2019s Nebraska team found the space and inspiration to rethink how pediatric care can truly reach families across Nebraska\u2019s vast landscape and tackle one of pediatric care\u2019s most formidable challenges: access.<\/p>\n<p>Even on good days, getting a child to a doctor\u2019s appointment is a juggling act. But for many families in Nebraska, it\u2019s a full-blown road trip that can mean hours of driving for a 30-minute visit. Serving a geographically vast and diverse population, the team at the Omaha-based health center began reimagining how to reach pediatric patients for behavioral health across Nebraska and beyond. The challenge was clear: How do you deliver high-quality care to families hours away from the hospital\u2019s main campus?<\/p>\n<p>That question sparked a breakthrough. A self-described tech nerd, Cameron came across an article about immersive telepresence technology \u2013 a pod called Ocular View, designed by Steelcase Health in partnership with Logitech.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought, \u2018What if we could use this to make virtual care feel more human?\u2019\u201d That curiosity led to a partnership with Steelcase Health and ultimately, the integration of Ocular View as a telehealth solution designed to support pediatric behavioral health. Ocular View is an extended reality experience that creates immersive, face-to-face virtual meetings \u2013 helping people feel like they\u2019re truly sitting across from each other, even when miles apart.<\/p>\n<p><strong>A new kind of telehealth<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Thanks to Ocular View&#8217;s human-centered and one-on-one experience, a child in Kearney, Nebraska, can now sit down, look up, and feel like their psychiatrist in Omaha is right there with them \u2013 even though they\u2019re nearly 200 miles apart.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I started doing telemedicine, I was in a broom closet with a cart the size of a mini-fridge,\u201d says Dr. McWilliams. \u201cNow it feels like I\u2019m in the same room. I can see body language \u2013 even the adolescent eye roll.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_874762\" aria-labelledby=\"figcaption_attachment_874762\" class=\"wp-image wp-caption alignright\" style=\"width: 1024px\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-874762 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1762363164\/25-0263119.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" \/><figcaption id=\"figcaption_attachment_874762\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Children\u2019s Nebraska uses Ocular View to create a more connected, face-to-face experience for families \u2013 even from miles away.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>That presence matters. Behavioral health care depends on trust, and trust depends on connection. That\u2019s why the Ocular View\u2019s design details make a difference \u2013 camera placement for natural eye contact, crisp audio, and warm lighting.<\/p>\n<p>Another advantage of Ocular View versus a regular laptop screen is that it allows more than one person to join the conversation fully. Instead of just one person squeezed in front of a webcam, Ocular View creates a shared experience \u2013 ideal for situations where a parent wants to be present and engaged in conversations about their child\u2019s health. Especially in pediatric care, where clinicians often speak with both the parent and child together, this setup makes it easier for everyone to feel seen, heard, and connected.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cParents love the clarity,\u201d says Stacy Zoucha, Director of Digital Health and Innovation, who helped lead the rollout. \u201cAnd kids feel calmer.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>For McWilliams, the difference is profound. \u201cI can pick up on subtle cues, such as how a child is sitting, the look on their face and how they breathe. Those things matter in psychiatry. They tell you what\u2019s really going on.\u201d In the past, those cues were often lost in the flatness of a laptop screen.<\/p>\n<p>The first two Ocular View pods are now live \u2013 one in Omaha and one in Kearney, inside a behavioral health urgent care clinic that opened in 2024. A third is on the way. The Kearney location is especially impactful: it\u2019s adjacent to a primary care clinic, making it easy for pediatricians to join sessions and keep care close to home in a setting that feels face-to-face.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Big What-Ifs<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat if Children\u2019s Nebraska becomes the #1 place to go for pediatric care in the United States?\u201d asks Cameron. It\u2019s a lofty goal \u2013 but one Children\u2019s Nebraska believes isn\u2019t just aspirational. It\u2019s actionable. Looking ahead, Children\u2019s Nebraska plans to expand its telehealth footprint with more Ocular View pods, including the possibility of school-based programs.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-874763 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/images.steelcase.com\/image\/upload\/c_limit,dpr_auto,q_70,h_1024,w_1024\/v1762363250\/25-0263116-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" \/><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re piloting ways for kids to get a strep test or have their lungs listened to without leaving school,\u201d Zoucha says. \u201cThat keeps kids in class and parents at work.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Innovative health space design makes these possibilities real. It\u2019s a powerful beginning for the kids who no longer have to spend a day in the car just to be seen and heard. It\u2019s proof that thoughtful design and imagination can bring care closer and help solve one of healthcare\u2019s most persistent barriers.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHealthcare never stands still, and neither can we,\u201d says Cameron. \u201cAs patient needs change, we evolve to deliver care that\u2019s not only excellent but accessible for every family.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"u-shaded u-shaded--light\">\n<p><strong>At a Glance: Mammel Innovation Center<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Location:<\/strong><br \/>\nChildren\u2019s Nebraska, Omaha, NE<\/p>\n<p><strong>Opened:<\/strong><br \/>\n2023<\/p>\n<p><strong>Size:<\/strong><br \/>\n10,000 square feet<\/p>\n<p><strong>Purpose:<\/strong><br \/>\nA dedicated space for cross-disciplinary collaboration, innovation, and rapid prototyping in pediatric healthcare.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Design Intent:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Encourage spontaneous collaboration between clinicians, technologists, and researchers<\/li>\n<li>Create an environment that feels open, flexible, and inspiring<br \/>\nServe as a testing ground for new ideas in care delivery and space design<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Key Features:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Natural light and flexible layouts<\/li>\n<li>Meeting zones for informal and formal brainstorming<\/li>\n<li>Prototyping areas for testing new technologies and workflows<\/li>\n<li>Designed to feel distinct from traditional hospital environments<\/li>\n<li>Ocular View for virtual care<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Project Partners:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>A&amp;D Firm: HDR<\/li>\n<li>Dealer: Sheppard\u2019s Business Interiors<\/li>\n<li>Furniture &amp; Technology Partner: Steelcase Health, Logitech &amp; Zoom<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Children\u2019s Nebraska is redesigning pediatric behavioral health \u2013 using space, technological innovation, and imagination to make healthcare more personal, accessible, and closer to home for all their communities.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37261,"featured_media":874753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"topic":[1356],"class_list":["post-874686","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","topic-healthcare"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Children\u2019s Nebraska: Designing the Future of Pediatric Health - Steelcase<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Children&#039;s Nebraska and Steelcase are redesigning pediatric behavioral health through innovations in space &amp; 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