By Denise SinclairHome staff writer
SYLACAUGA — Hospital board members and city officials got their first look at the new 120,000-square-foot Coosa Valley Medical Center “West Wing” project.
Officials toured the facility late Tuesday afternoon with hospital executives, architect Chuck Penuel and Hoar Construction representatives.
The $28 million facility is about 60 percent complete. Those touring the facility got to see first-hand how construction is coming, what patient rooms will look like and the various areas of the hospital, including the intensive care unit, labor and delivery, imaging, and more.
Charles Woosley, vice president of CVMC and hospital liaison to the architect and construction company, led the tour.
Woosley said hospital officials anticipate construction to be completed by March 16. A state inspection of the facilities will take place, followed by the move into the new hospital.
“We are planning an open house for April 1, 2007. That date is significant because the current hospital opened April 1, 1945,” Woosley said.
Hospital officials wanted board members, Mayor Sam Wright and the City Council to have their first formal tour of the future hospital once substantial construction had been completed, Woosley said.
“They can see rooms and different areas of the hospital taking shape now,” he said.
The tour started on the second floor which houses 42 patient rooms. Thirty-six of these rooms are private, while four are semi-private rooms. This floor is strictly general medicine.
The third floor will house 25 patient beds with space for an additional 17, Woosley said.
The first floor features a new intensive care unit and women’s center.
The ICU gives the hospital an additional two-bed capacity with completely modern critical care.
The women’s center includes four labor and delivery rooms, two outpatient rooms and five post-delivery rooms for a total of 11 beds that could be used if necessary.
Patients will deliver in the four labor and delivery rooms and be moved to the five post-delivery rooms for recovery, said Amy Price, vice president of patient care.
A shelled-in space will be available for a future C-section room.
Woosley said one important aspect of the first floor is a hallway that leads directly from surgery to intensive care.
“A patient can now have surgery and be moved straight into intensive care without having to go through many areas of the hospital. The critical areas on the first floor immediately join the surgical suites,” he said.
There is also a large space available for a future endoscopy lab.
On the ground floor is the largest portion of the new hospital’s imaging department. The department allows for easy in and out access for outpatient care. It also immediately joins the emergency department.
“Any patient there can be rolled to imaging. CT scans, nuclear medicine, digital mammography, ultrasound, digital x-ray and special procedure lab are located in this department,” Woosley said.
Two other areas of the ground floor creating excitement among officials and board members are a chapel and restaurant.
The chapel will seat at least 15, said hospital chaplain Glenn Winter. This chapel is something hospital officials have been working toward for many years. Plans include a prayer garden near the chapel.
The new restaurant includes a pizzeria, cafeteria area, private dining area and outdoor dining. All of which are open to the public.
Other areas on the ground floor are materials management for purchasing and receiving and the hospital’s energy area.
The medical staff will tour the facility next Monday, while employees begin touring it next Tuesday and Thursday and then the following Tuesday and Thursday.
Construction of the facility started in September 2005.
Many of the main building’s inpatient rooms are going to be used for other departments once the new “West Wing” opens.
Also planned is a renovation of a section of the 61-year-old building for a transitional care unit.
Council President Doug Murphree, councilmen Henry Looney and Harold Ward got their first look at the much anticipated facility along with the mayor and hospital board members Dr. John Bowers, chairman; Jerry Fielding, vice chairman; Wallace Shoemaker; Dr. Mamoun Pacha; Dr. Bill Mims; Dr. Ammar Aldaher; John Floyd; and John Quenelle. Also on the tour were hospital executives including Glenn Sisk, president and chief executive officer.
