Suffolk, Va., -- August 4, 2008 – State and local officials joined Sentara Obici’s medical staff, leadership, volunteers and staff for the ceremonial groundbreaking of the new 3-story bed tower at 2800 Godwin Blvd. in Suffolk, Va., on Monday, August 4th at 2:00 p.m. The addition will adjoin the existing patient tower at the rear of the hospital.
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| Sentara Obici Hospital patient tower rendering. |
The $22.4 million project will increase bed capacity to 168 beds from 138 beds at the current site.
“When Obici Hospital opened at the Godwin Boulevard location in 2002, it was not a question of whether the facility would expand, rather it was a question of when the patient occupancy rates would necessitate an expansion plan,” according to Rosemary Check, vice president and administrator of Sentara Obici. “The time to expand became evident very quickly. This additional capacity will improve bed availability for patients coming into the emergency department and add value to an existing community asset that will serve future generations.”
Earlier this year, the state health commissioner approved the 30-bed expansion plan for
Sentara Obici Hospital. The construction will also involve relocation of 18 beds from the existing facility to create a more efficient staff and patient flow pattern.
When construction is complete in early 2010, 24 beds will be devoted to medical-surgical patients and 24 beds will be dedicated to orthopedic surgery patients. This expansion also paves the way for many of the rooms to go from semi-private to private affording our patients added privacy and safety
Focus is on Creating Access to Quality Medical Care “Since the merger with Louise Obici Memorial Hospital in 2006, the Sentara organization has focused on creating access to quality medical care for residents of western Tidewater,” noted Ken Krakaur, president of Sentara’s Peninsula and Western Tidewater Division. “With the opening of the
Sentara BelleHarbour outpatient facility in northern Suffolk in June, the Sentara St. Luke’s development in Isle of Wight County and the bed tower on this campus, we are delivering on our commitment to support the residents of this region in providing world-class health care close to home.”
“We deeply value the continued investments that Sentara Healthcare has made in the City of Suffolk. The addition of a 30-bed tower at Sentara Obici demonstrates their strong commitment to our community” said Suffolk Mayor Linda Johnson. “As Suffolk continues to grow and expand, we appreciate that Sentara is growing with us.”
Read a
fact sheet on the Sentara Obici Hospital expansion plan.
27/2008