Custom Wall-Mounted Medication Stations at Franke Tobey Jones

Franke Tobey Jones is an independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing community located on 20 acres in North Tacoma, Washington. When planning began in 2015 for a new skilled-nursing and memory-care facility, the project team evaluated how existing practices could be improved in the new environment.

Medication storage and dispensing became an important design question. The facility had traditionally used a large medication cart, but the cart rarely moved from its place in the hallway. Rather than traveling from room to room, it became a focal point for staff and residents. Its institutional appearance also conflicted with the goal of creating a place that residents could experience as home.

Bob Beckham, then COO of Franke Tobey Jones, summarized the concern: the community was dealing with residents’ homes, not merely a place for medical care. If people were going to congregate, the desired focal points were the kitchen bar, activity area or living-room fireplace – not a medication cart.

Project overview

• Community: Franke Tobey Jones
• Location: North Tacoma, Washington
• Care settings: Independent living, assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing
• New center capacity described in the case study: 43 skilled-nursing residents and 28 memory-care residents
• Application: In-room supply and medication storage
• Solution: Customized Proximity Systems GozAway wall-mounted supply and medication stations
• Primary reported benefit: Greater resident privacy and dignity during medication-related workflows

The challenge: moving beyond the hallway medication cart

Traditional medication carts are designed to move, but the Franke Tobey Jones team observed that its cart frequently remained in the hallway. This created several concerns:

• The cart became a gathering point rather than a tool that moved with the workflow.
• Medication activities were associated with a common area instead of the resident’s private room.
• The cart presented a clinical, institutional appearance.
• The solution did not align with the community’s home-like design goals.
• A shared cart was not tailored to the needs of each resident room or clinical team.

The project team wanted medication and supply storage that supported clinical work without dominating the resident environment.

The solution: custom GozAway stations in resident rooms

Franke Tobey Jones approached Proximity Systems for a solution tailored to the community’s residents and clinical staff. The team began with a standard GozAway cabinet and modified it to meet the project’s requirements.

The customized cabinet included:

• A reduced width, changing the standard design from 30 inches to 28 inches.
• Modified shelf dimensions and placement.
• Three doors operated through a single electronic lock.
• A laminate finish selected to coordinate with surrounding furnishings.
• In-room installation for access to resident-specific medications and supplies.

The solution could remain closed and secure, open partially for selected access or open fully when the complete cabinet was needed.

Prototype evaluation and stakeholder feedback

Before finalizing the cabinet, Proximity Systems provided a demonstration unit for the Franke Tobey Jones project team to evaluate. The prototype allowed clinical and project stakeholders to provide feedback and verify that the station included the required features.

This step is significant for other senior-living projects. A full-scale demonstration unit can reveal issues that are difficult to identify in drawings alone, including:

• Shelf spacing and container fit.
• Door clearance and reach.
• Lock operation.
• Visibility and organization of supplies.
• Compatibility with room furniture and finishes.
• Staff access during actual medication workflows.

Supporting resident privacy and dignity

The case study identifies privacy as the most immediate benefit reported by residents and caregivers. Moving appropriate medication activities from a common area to the resident’s room allowed the process to take place in a more private setting, similar to what a person would expect in a family home.

The design also reduced the visual presence of institutional equipment. The coordinated laminate finish helped the cabinet read as part of the room’s furnishings rather than as a mobile clinical cart parked in the hallway.

Potential workflow benefits for clinical staff

The source document associates resident-room cabinets with personalized care, increased efficiency and fewer medication errors. The physical design may support workflow by:

• Keeping resident-specific supplies close to the point of care.
• Reducing trips to a shared hallway cart.
• Providing organized shelf locations.
• Securing multiple cabinet sections with one electronic lock.
• Allowing staff to perform appropriate tasks in the resident’s room.

Customer response

According to Beckham, residents and staff expressed satisfaction with the custom cabinet solution. The case study also emphasizes Proximity Systems’ ability to begin with an existing design and then modify or redesign it around a customer’s specific environment.

Lessons for senior-living facility planners

The Franke Tobey Jones project offers several practical lessons:

1. Study the real workflow. A cart may be mobile in theory but stationary in practice.
2. Design around the resident experience. Storage and medication processes should respect that the room is the resident’s home.
3. Include clinical stakeholders. Staff feedback is essential when configuring shelves, locks and access.
4. Evaluate a physical prototype. A demonstration cabinet can identify changes before full production.
5. Coordinate appearance and function. Finish, size and placement should support the residential environment.
6. Confirm regulatory requirements. In-room medication storage must follow applicable pharmacy, licensing, accreditation and facility policies.

A more residential approach to medication storage

Franke Tobey Jones replaced a hallway-centered medication process with resident-room supply and medication stations designed around privacy, security, staff needs and the appearance of the new care center. The project demonstrates how a customized wall-mounted cabinet can support both clinical function and a more home-like senior-living environment.