SYLACAUGA — Work is on schedule for the new Coosa Valley Medical Center hospital.Glenn C. Sisk, president and CEO of CVMC, said Thursday the construction company started erecting steel Wednesday, the elevator shaft has been completed and work is almost complete on the north stairwell. Next will be the south stairwell, he said.
With the opening of a new ambulatory entrance, the first phase of CVMC’s West Wing Project is complete.
This means improved service for patients and allows a more concentrated focus on the construction of the four-story, 120,000-square-foot West Wing building.
Sisk said the opening of the new ambulatory entrance represents the first significant step of the project, clearing the way for additional work.
Located on the medical center’s north side, the new entrance gives ambulance drivers a more direct route to the Emergency Department. Walk-in patients can proceed directly to the nurses’ station, a major improvement from the roundabout path to the old location.
Footings for the project are in place, and foundation work is moving forward.
"The progress on the project in recent weeks has been pretty significant. We have had nice weather in the last 10 days and that gives construction crews the opportunity to move forward at a much quicker pace," Sisk said.
Coosa Valley Medical Center’s new hospital is one of only four replacement hospitals built in the state in the past 12 years. It is perhaps the first independently owned replacement hospital to be constructed in the state in this time period.
This full replacement facility will have 86 in-patient rooms, the majority of which will be private. There will also be a medical/surgery area; pre- and post-surgery; an imaging center; food service and cafeteria; loading docks; ambulance entrance, and materials management area.
An added feature of the hospital is a women’s center. It will be located on the second floor and will cater specifically to women.
The ICU will be expanded from eight rooms to 10 in the new hospital.
The rooms will be bigger, the ceilings much higher and at least 90 percent of the rooms will be private. There will be a small number of semi-private rooms.
The transitional care unit on the second floor of the old hospital will be renovated. Ten beds will be added to this unit, with 31 private rooms.
No demolition of the old hospital is planned at this time.
Each floor will have a waiting area with a lot of glass that overlooks the hospital campus.
Construction is targeted for completion by spring 2007.
Coosa Valley Medical Center was founded in 1945 to serve the people of Talladega, Coosa, Shelby, Clay and Tallapoosa counties.
Today, the hospital employs some 580, has more than 40 active medical staff members and more than 60 auxiliary volunteers.
