Over time the use of the Birthing Center information desk had changed to an information desk, registration desk, nurses' station, access control point, and copy area. Its existing design required patients to stand and provided no privacy between the station and nearby seating area.

Hyman Hayes Associates was asked to redesign the check-in/ registration station as part of an overall renovation project at the Birthing Center. The design proposed by Hyman Hayes Associates pushed the check-in/registration station closer to the entry, essentially forcing everyone to walk up to the desk. The first counter patients and visitors see is the information counter, a standing height counter designed to provide a partial barrier and privacy for the adjacent staff and patients registering. Patients registering are directed to the side where a sitting height counter is shielded by a screen wall of fabric wrapped acoustical panels at the bottom portion and semi-translucent decorative panels at the top. The semi-translucent panels allow some visibility while still shielding the patient and staff.

The station partially wraps behind the elevator to provide space for a second work station and to maintain the required visibility. A stepped pattern in the flooring helps to define the check-in/registration station and private conversation areas from the general circulation space. Pendant light fixtures at the perimeter supplement the overhead lighting and help to soften the overall space.

A small four seat waiting area provides nearby seating for patients waiting to register but is separated enough to provide adequate privacy at the check-in/registration station. The finishes are predominantly plastic laminate in a rich wood grain with wood trim to provide a warm, earthy, comfortable space for patients and visitors.