The Medical Center has completed a $30 million expansion project, featuring two new patient floors and 48,000 square feet of space. The new addition is entirely dedicated to patient care and includes 48 new private rooms. With these additional rooms, The Medical Center has the capacity to provide all 337 beds for which it is licensed with all private rooms throughout the hospital.
The two-year project, which began in the fall of 2008, enables the hospital to meet the increased need for healthcare services in Southcentral Kentucky. A growing population and continued expansion of available health care services at The Medical Center are two key factors driving this need.
“The Medical Center continues to be the hospital of choice for a large majority of Southcentral Kentuckians,” said Connie Smith, Chief Executive Officer of The Medical Center. “This expansion provides much needed space for patient care as we continue meeting the increasing demand for some of our key services.”
Two stories have been added to the current Emergency Department and Ambulatory Surgery wing of the hospital located along the High Street side of the hospital’s campus. The third floor of the new addition is dedicated to Orthopaedics and Neuroscience and features a physical rehabilitation gym. The gym will accommodate several patients at a time, enabling patients and family members to socialize and support each other during therapy treatments. Multiple therapists will work in a team-oriented environment with patients, providing greater communication and better management of the patient’s care.
The fourth floor is designed for Cardiothoracic and Vascular patients. Care will be delivered to patients who have undergone open-heart surgery or other thoracic and vascular procedures. The fourth floor features a new Open-Heart Recovery unit that is readily accessible from The Medical Center’s operating room suite. Open-heart patients will transition from the recovery unit into one of the new, spacious private rooms where they will remain for the rest of their stay.
Three rooms on each floor feature lifts, allowing for patients to be weighed and safely transferred to and from a wheelchair or the bathroom. One bariatric lift can hold up to 1,000 lbs. while the other two lifts can accommodate up to 550 lbs. Each floor also features two isolation rooms with a special ventilation system that generates negative air pressure. These rooms are designed for patients with contagious airborne diseases.
Several nurse stations are positioned throughout each floor. Remote telemetry is available on both floors with a central monitoring station. Pharmacy and patient supplies are housed in secure stations to allow convenient access for nursing staff. A tube system is used to transfer items to ancillary departments located in the main section of the hospital such as the Lab and Pharmacy. A satellite kitchen allows Food Services staff to prep meals and deliver to patients in the new section.
Both floors offer family members spacious, comfortable waiting rooms with an abundance of natural light. A conference room is available on the third floor where physicians can meet privately with families.
