OYS 2030 – Radiotherapy unit

Building a hospital of the future

The Radiotherapy Unit of the Cancer Centre of Oulu University Hospital (OYS) is the only hospital unit providing radiotherapy in Northern Finland. The new building, completed in summer 2022, is part of the OYS 2030 renewal programme. Movitek was involved in the construction of the unit as an HVAC subcontractor. 

The OYS 2030 programme, which started in 2012, will modernise the university hospital’s operations and facilities to meet the challenges of future specialist care. The hospital complex has been designed with both energy efficiency and practicality in mind, with smaller surface area, for example, allowing for smoother transitions. The Radiotherapy Unit has also taken into account ease of use by centralising imaging facilities and services for the entire care chain in a single building. The unit was awarded the Northern Finland Building 2020-2022 prize (link in Finnish). 

The first meetings for the construction of the Radiotherapy unit were held in January 2021. The tasks included the procurement of HVAC materials and equipment and the actual HVAC work, with three Movitek officers and an average of eight fitters.

– We have a lot of experience with demanding sites such as hospitals. The cooperation with the main contractor Hartela worked well, and the project as a whole was a success, says Anna Liedes, Project Manager at Movitek, who was involved in the final phase of the project.

The modern hospital rises on an empty site – the latest technology requires space and constant learning 

The Radiotherapy Unit of the OYS Cancer Centre was completed in the summer of 2022, and operations in the new premises started in October of the same year. The radiotherapy unit uses the latest treatment techniques, and there is continuous development and training of radiotherapy professionals. There are 5 radiotherapy machines in operation, treating 100-150 patients every working day.

– Specialist hospital technology is much more challenging than basic technology. It involves a lot of research, which makes these projects really interesting, says Anna Liedes. 

In Finland, several central hospitals have recently reached the end of their lifespan. €5 billion worth of new hospitals are currently being built, of which the new Oulu University Hospital accounts for around €0.9 billion. As elsewhere, in Oulu the hospitals built to the same standards as in the past were better demolished than repaired – for example, the floor heights were so low that it would not have been possible to install modern ventilation equipment. 

Projects are long and complex, and hospital technology in particular is constantly evolving. As a result, in multi-phase hospital projects, some elements may be at the drawing board while others are reaching their peak. 

– With rapidly evolving technology and overlapping projects, continuous evaluation is essential. Lessons are constantly being learned from previous buildings and the good and bad things are said out loud. Constructive openness leads to good results, analyses Anna Liedes. 

Sister project already under construction

Movitek is also involved in the HVAC work in the new hospital building F. The F building, which will be built in the second phase of the renovation programme, will house the hospital pharmacy, laboratory, imaging and inpatient wards. Construction started in early 2022 and the project will be completed in 2025, with all new buildings due to be completed by 2030. Anna Liedes confirms that hospitals are liked projects at Movitek.

– We have the will, interest and professionalism to get the job done!