Healing Spaces, Printed In-house
The following article was originally published by In-plant Impressions. To read more of their content, subscribe to their newsletter, IPI E-News.
Complex projects provide powerful opportunities for in-plants to showcase their capabilities, justify future investments, generate new internal demand, save significant costs, and deliver results that simply can’t be trusted to outside vendors. Larry Mills knows this well.
When his company, Monument Health, wanted to create a brighter, more engaging, and functional space by using graphics to enhance both patient experience and operational efficiency, the Rapid City, South Dakota, health care system went right to Mills, its long-time in-plant manager. Working closely with Behavioral Health and Facilities Management staff, Mills explored safe, durable graphic solutions that could uplift the environment.
Some of the many scenic murals printed by Monument Health Printing Services as part of a large project
The in-plant printed many large scenic murals depicting local South Dakota scenery.
The three-employee in-plant produced a range of printed elements, including large scenic murals depicting local South Dakota scenery, photo panel dry-erase walls, therapy room dry-erase panels, patient routine schedule boards, nursing station scheduling panels, and cut-vinyl room numbers to replace unsafe acrylic signage.
These pieces have transformed the facility. The murals reduce stress and spark emotional connections, with patients recognizing familiar local scenes that help ground them. The dry-erase walls and panels allow both patients and staff to express themselves, communicate, and collaborate more easily. Staff report clearer workflow, faster communication, and fewer interruptions.
Dry-erase panels and patient routine schedule boards were also part of this project.
Remarkably, since installation, no damage has been inflicted on walls where murals or panels are present — a strong sign of their calming effect. Together, these printed innovations have improved comfort, engagement, and care throughout the hospital, giving Mills and his team the satisfaction of contributing to Monument Health’s mission.
It took about four days for Mills and his staff, Pattie Paulsen and Jose Huertas, to print, laminate, and finish all the elements for this project, using their Roland TrueVIS VG2-640 wide-format printer and Rollover laminating table. Mills was happy to take on this complex project not only to assist in patient care but to show off his shop’s capabilities.
The in-plant used its Roland TrueVIS VG2-640 wide-format printer to print the various pieces in this project.
“It’s a huge marketing win for me … when people see that our print shop did that,” he says. “It increases [our] value by showing what capabilities we have in-house.”
The in-plant was already asked to provide similar murals during the recent remodeling of the main hospital’s lab.
“It all stemmed from this one,” he notes.
He urges other in-plants not to shy away from big projects like this.
“Think beyond what the vendors say your equipment can do,” he suggests. “Figure out what you can do with your equipment. It only helps your department in the long run.”
Bob has served as editor of In-plant Impressions since October of 1994. Prior to that he served for three years as managing editor of Printing Impressions, a commercial printing publication. Mr. Neubauer is very active in the U.S. in-plant industry. He attends all the major in-plant conferences and has visited 200 in-plant operations around the world. He has given presentations to numerous in-plant groups in the U.S., Canada and Australia, including the Association of College and University Printers and the In-plant Printing and Mailing Association. He also coordinates the annual In-Print contest, co-sponsored by IPMA and In-plant Impressions.
