Opening Day Nears
Opening day for Butler Memorial Hospital's new surgical tower and front entrance is getting nearer.
Ken DeFurio, Butler Health System president and chief executive officer, said construction should be completed on the hospital addition by June 30, with the health system taking control of the building July 1.
The seven-story tower is the health system's solution to aging facilities and lack of space in the hospital on East Brady Street, straddling the line between Butler and Butler Township. Parts of the hospital opened more than 80 years ago.
The health system's approval for the $150 million project came after two years of heated community discussion about what should be done about the old hospital. The board's original idea was to buy land and build a new hospital, but after an administration change, it was decided to build the new surgical tower at the current hospital site.
Tower constructionJust before tower construction began in 2008, changes were made in the Emergency Department to streamline patient treatment with the addition of an area for patients with mental health problems and another for patients with minor illnesses or injuries, DeFurio said.Site preparation began with the demolition of the Nixon Building, a former nursing dormitory facing East Brady Street.Through the construction schedule developed by the project's general contractor, Turner Construction, and the health system's project managers, money has been saved from the original $152 million estimated to complete the project. That money has been redirected back into construction, DeFurio said.The entire project is being paid for through a $126 million bond issue, which came through in mid-2009 because of the global economic crisis, said Anne Krebs, BHS chief financial officer. Another $26 million in BHS cash also went to tower costs.The state Department of Community and Economic Development gave the health system $13.4 million to be paid in increments of $670,000 over 20 years to help cover bond payments.Butler Health System Foundation also is holding a $7 million capital campaign for the tower's construction. The campaign is being chaired by former BHS director and his wife, Fred and Sue Bennitt.The 150,000-square-foot hospital addition stretches from the eastern side of the hospital to the road that takes visitors to the eastern parking lot near the helicopter landing pad, and down to the front curb of the current hospital.Information technology and outpatient services also is growing as part of the campus expansion. This part of the project will cost about $30 million to be paid for with federal stimulus money.These are some more of the tower's features:• The entrance of the hospital has been moved to the second floor of the tower on the eastern side of the hospital. The first floor original entrance facing East Brady Street will be used for maintenance and storage.• The new entrance has been enhanced by a road from East Jefferson Street to the east parking lot, leading drivers to the new entrance and landscaped parking lot.• The third floor is the new surgical floor with 10 operating rooms, including the two operating rooms renovated several years ago next to the obstetrics/gynecology unit. The rooms are larger than the old operating rooms, so new technology and equipment can be used during patient care.• There is no fourth floor in the current hospital because of the way old hospital buildings and the new one meet, and there won't be one in the new tower.• The fifth floor has 24 critical care beds, which are all private. The hospital has nine CCU beds on the sixth floor of the current hospital.• The sixth floor has 25 medical/surgical patient beds, which are all private or part of the telemetry unit, which is part of the old hospital.• The seventh floor has 26 medical/surgical beds, which are private.DeFurio said the project adds 57 beds to the hospital's 232 licensed bed count, for 289 critical care and medical/surgery beds. There also are an additional 25 skilled nursing beds.
Moving inDeFurio said hospital staff will use the first two weeks of July to organize supplies in the new units."There's a lot of stuff — everything from washcloths to medicines to heart and lung machines," he said.The staff also will practice dry runs and mock admissions, practicing getting patients from the Emergency Department to rooms and units in the new tower.During the last two weeks of July, DeFurio said, the administration and board of trustees will host a series of open houses for the community "so people can see what I and the staff are so excited about."On Aug. 1, the new hospital units will open for patient admission.
What's next?As the tower project begins to wrap up, DeFurio, BHS administrators and medical staff, and trustees are already starting to look forward to their next projects.First, DeFurio said, renovations to existing spaces in the old hospital will begin, updating old patient space and changing other spaces into offices.The oldest units will close, specifically the surgical ICU, and operating rooms on the sixth floor will be used as office space and storage."5 North, 6 Main and 5 Main will all be renovated for med/surg patient use," DeFurio said.Not all the work will be happening on the BMH campus."We are continuing to expand our outpatient services, including a project in Slippery Rock and a partnership with area doctors and business owners," DeFurio said.The health system also is working with Drs. Tony Smaldino of Butler and Kathy Ryan of Saxonburg to build South Butler Commons, a new medical and professional building at the corner of Alwine and Rebecca streets in Saxonburg.The building has been designed by and for the doctors, and it is also an urgent care center. It is a joint venture by the doctors, BHS and Ronald D. Jones Financial Services.The health system also is working on a similar venture in Slippery Rock, but no details have been released.DeFurio said, "As for the hospital, we are admitting and treating more people now and predict that growth to continue."Patient growth should result in the need for new employees. He expects the health system staff to increase by at least 500 workers in seven to 10 years."What to do with the hospital was the source of real debate for some time, and now, here we are: It's real and it's almost ready to open," DeFurio said. "We are just so proud and so excited."
