(Dietary) Department work area and
installation of a much larger cooler
and freezer. Additional space for fu-
ture ICU expansion will be “shelled
in” on the third foor. Tis will allow
the unit to expand from 8 to 12 or
13 beds.
Major infrastructure upgrades
include increasing the capacity of
the cooling system to include a new
chiller and a much larger cooling
tower. According to Marion Moody,
director of plant services, three new
Caterpillar 800 kilowatt generator
sets will be installed in a new power
house, along with the latest in elec-
trical switchgear technology.
Property improvements also will
include a new driveway approach
for ambulance trafc, to separate
it more from patient, visitor and
service delivery trafc.
An evolving plan
Te entire project will be divided
into two phases. Te frst phase,
which began this month, will
mostly involve new construction
around the ED, followed by dietary
and plant services improvements
on the river side of the hospital.
“It will be inconvenient for a
while around here,” warns Moody,
“but our goal will be to cause as
little disruption to patient services
as possible.
“We will be fencing of areas
throughout the duration of the
project. Initially, we will close the
road that goes from the ED to the
back of the hospital to give room for
the frst building phase. Te loading
dock for the dietary department
will be closed, and all deliveries will
be made from the other side to the
main loading dock in the back.”
However, Moody points out
that fencing will go up and down
throughout the project as it pro-
ceeds. Te frst phase should take
about eight months to complete.
According to Moody, the second
phase, which will require the relo-
cation of the ED, will be the most
difcult time for the public.
“We have a team of people work-
ing on how we will manage this
phase smoothly,” he says. “We’re
looking at areas to move the ED tem-
porarily to allow the construction to
Te updated emergency center will have 26 private treatment rooms.
move forward within the existing ED
area. Other departments surround-
ing the ED may also need to relocate,
so it will be important for us to
make sure the public is well aware of
these changes as we move forward.”
Emergency medical services
professionals have been included
throughout the planning and execu-
tion of this major construction proj-
ect to be sure emergency patients
will continue to have direct access
to the ED. Te current entrance will
be used only for ambulance trafc.
All patients and visitors will
need to enter the campus from the
main or south entrances. Te main
lobby entrance of the facility will be
the temporary emergency entrance
for phase one.
In conclusion, Moody feels the
project will result in an improved
physical plant with a solid infra-
structure able to handle just about
any problem and a modern, efcient
ED equipped to meet the needs of a
growing community.
“It won’t be easy while it is go-
ing on,” he says, “but it will be well
worth it in the end.”
Doctor Referral Service: 888-522-5585 • Health Scene
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