Photo of Maple Street side of new BMH Outpatient Building as seen from the D-HART helipad.

New BMH Outpatient Building Progress Is a Month Ahead of Schedule

The new Outpatient Building continues to be a month ahead of schedule and still on budget! Currently the exterior is completed, and plumbing, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and wiring are being installed at this time. In addition, much of the dry wall separating units and office space is now actually being painted, particularly on the top floor where the target date of August 11 (’08) is being projected as the date the new Oncology (cancer) Department and Women’s Imaging Area will be open for use. This will offer our patients comfortable, convenient, and more private space. The remainder of the 34,500 square foot building is scheduled to be finished by the end of this year, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony slated for January 2009.

Meanwhile, the planned renovation of the Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU) for same-day surgery and its environs have also been taking place. As of December of 2007, preparations were being made to accommodate these changes. Here is where various hospital entities are now located until they can occupy their new space in the BMH Outpatient Building:

• The Oncology Department and Comprehensive Care Clinic (CCC) were moved to their temporary quarters (until the new Outpatient Building is completed) in Suite 204 of the Medical Office Building (MOB).
• Pre-op Assessment and laser eye procedures have moved to Suite 202 of the
  MOB.
• Both Suite 204 and 202 are on the 2nd Floor of the MOB from the building's
  front entrance (please note that stairs must be climbed to get to the 2nd
  floor of MOB from that entrance).
• An option (for those still having to report to Admitting and/or needing assistance), is to use the main hospital front entrance as always. We will have maps and people at Admitting and in the lobby to help patients get to the new temporary locations.
• The 2nd floor of the MOB is on (almost) the same level as the 1st floor of the main hospital. Until the new Outpatient Building is connected to the main hospital and MOB, people will still have to make it up the ramp’s incline to get from the main hospital to the temporary space although, again, there will be escorts to assist patients.
• So, as of Monday, December 10, oncology patients, CCC patients, laser eye procedure patients, and those coming to BMH for pre-op assessment all need to find their way to the 2nd floor of the Medical Office Building, again until the new building is completed.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MAP FOR VISUAL INSTRUCTIONS

The BMH ACU Area Renovation Is Well Under Way!
New Waiting Room and PACU Are Open

The new Ambulatory Care Unit waiting room is now open for people with patients in same-day surgery to sit nearby. (Note that the ACU is currently in the same location, but will move temporarily this summer to the 2nd floor Med/Surg unit while the BMH same-day surgery unit is being renovated to better serve our patients. The newly configured ACU will be re-opened in November.)

The newly renovated Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) is now also complete and they are open for the business of caring for patients post-surgery. It is located in new space and looks like this:

The head of BMH Plant Engineering and the Construction Superintendent are meeting each week with the nurse leaders from the impacted areas. This will ensure good communications and help minimize the impact of construction.

BMH is striving to make the exciting new changes to patient care as unobtrusive as possible, and we appreciate everyone's understanding. Thank you.

If you have any questions, or know of any problems occurring relating to Phase I of the ACU renovation, please contact
Plant Services Director Rob Prohaska at 802-257-8340,
Perioperative Director Deb Berdan at 802-257-8867,
Oncology Nurse Director Agnes Mikijaniec at 802-257-8821, or
VP for Planning at BMH, Prudence MacKinney at 802-257-8367.

CLICK HERE for more information

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