BMH Breaks Ground for Expansion Project
06/29/2007

Donning their hard hats and wielding the gold shovels to ‘break the ground’ were BMH VP of Planning Prudence MacKinney, point person responsible for the planning and execution of the building project; hospital board chair Jeff Morse; BMH Capital Campaign co-chair Mark Richards; BMH President/CEO Barry Beeman; Campaign co-chair, former Sen. Bob Gannett; and Dan Fawcett, trustee of the Thompson Trust.

Brattleboro Memorial Hospital broke ground for its new Outpatient Building on Thursday, June 21, 2007. Construction of the new 30,000 square foot, three-level facility is slated for completion in December 2008.

The new BMH addition will feature a number of outpatient units including Oncology, Rehabilitation Services (both physical and occupational therapy), Nuclear Medicine, an X-ray room, EKGs, orthopedic physician offices, Preoperative Screening, and lab blood drawing stations. In addition, the new BMH Outpatient Building will provide a Women’s Imaging Center including mammography, bone density, and stereotactic breast biopsy and breast ultrasound procedures. The new facility will also house the BMH Breast Care Program and the Comprehensive Care Clinic (for HIV patients).

The BMH building project also includes a renovation of the current busy Ambulatory Care Unit (ACU). In addition, the plan adds 28 new parking spaces proximate to the new building for the convenience of patients. The total cost of the project is estimated at $12 million.

The entire project will allow BMH to improve our patients’ experience when receiving outpatient services. It will also allow growth for our community hospital so local residents don’t have to travel for quality services appropriately provided at BMH.

As a group of dignitaries, donors, board members, and hospital staff assembled to break the ground, BMH President Barry Beeman laughingly said, “We’ll be here for a couple hours digging this 4,000 square foot foundation.”

The Thompson Trust was responsible for funding the building of the original hospital in 1904, and has generously contributed to many of the hospital’s subsequent additions and renovations, this one no exception. The Thompson Trust pledged $625,000 toward the “Building on Excellence” Capital Campaign. The goal for the BMH Capital Campaign is a minimum of $2.5 million. Close to $1.9 million has been raised to date so community support is essential to help us get to our goal.

In his remarks before the ground breaking, campaign co-chair Bob Gannett thanked all who had donated to the project, especially the hospital employees who have been very generous. “They, more than any other group of people, know what the hospital needs,” according to Gannett.

BMH has received all necessary permits to begin construction of the new outpatient building. The hospital received its Act 250 permit on December 12, 2006. The Environmental Court appeal by one neighbor was dropped on March 13, 2007. Barry Beeman, hospital president stated "We are pleased the new Outpatient Building can go forward without BMH incurring additional legal fees. The new building and renovation project is very necessary for BMH to continue to meet the community's need for high quality medical services."

Williams & Frehsee, Inc., Architects

Architect’s rendering of the new BMH Outpatient Building from the main parking lot.

There are two aspects to the Project:
1. 2008 OUTPATIENT BUILDING
Visual – for view of the new building from Maple Street CLICK HERE

Description: The new outpatient building will house services that have outgrown their current space or were located in hard-to-access areas of the hospital. Many of the departments focus on chronic care issues that are increasingly important to our community. The services include:
• oncology services • women’s imaging • Breast Care Program •
• nuclear medicine • lab blood drawing • X-ray • pre-operative assessment •
• outpatient cardiology testing • orthopedic surgeons’ offices •
• Comprehensive Care Clinic • rehabilitation services (PT/OT) •

2. RENOVATION OF THE CURRENT AMBULATORY CARE (ACU)
Visual – for floor plan of new ACU CLICK HERE

Description: This department cares for all outpatient surgery patients as well as patients coming for endoscopy procedures like colonoscopy. The new unit will feature all private rooms, a much larger family waiting area, a reception space, and a private consultation room for the surgeon to meet with family members following surgery. The Post Anesthesia Care Unit (recovery room) will be relocated and completely renovated within this area to create space for two endoscopy rooms and a large minor procedure room. (CLICK HERE for floor plan of renovation of OR/procedure room area.) The renovation will improve patient privacy and staff efficiency to help this very busy department continue to meet patient needs.

ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT MOVE: In order to permit the renovation and expansion of the Ambulatory Care Unit, the BMH Oncology Department has been relocated to temporary quarters in the Medical Office Building. A transportation system is in place to assist our oncology patients to reach the department's temporary location. Oncology will be in the Medical Office Building until it moves to its new space in the Outpatient Building this summer.

If you have questions about the new building plans, please don't hesitate to contact
Prudence MacKinney, VP Planning at 802-257-8367.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE BMH OUTPATIENT BUILDING PROJECT AND THE 'BUILDING FOR EXCELLENCE' CAPITAL CAMPAIGN