Pre-construction work on the multi-year plan will begin in April 2010 and is expected to be completed in 2014. The expansion of the hospital includes the addition of fourth floor with 35 acute care medical/surgical beds. The construction also gives Unity the option of adding 50 additional beds if needed in the future.
The project also includes modernizing and expanding facilities for Unity Hospital’s Joint Replacement Center, GI Unit, and Cardiology Unit; Unity Acute Rehabilitation & Physical Medicine, and Unity Dialysis Services in Greece. The $158 million project is the largest capital project of Unity Hospital since it opened in 1975.
Centralized nurses’ stations and upgrades to Unity’s already advanced information systems, as well as the addition of a centralized pharmacy will also improve efficiencies.
In April 2010, the Park Ridge Living Center will move to newly constructed ‘cottage style’ homes, located in the southwest corner of the Unity Park Ridge Campus. The vacated space will be renovated and redesigned to house high demand outpatient services, including Unity Hospital’s Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, GI Unit, and Dialysis Services.
These services will have more spacious units in state-of-the-art facilities to accommodate the community’s growing needs. The new locations will allow easier access and greater comfort for patients. Reutilizing the former location of the Living Center represents a cost avoidance of $17 million.
Renovations of the hospital also include new HVAC units and new windows. These upgrades will make Unity Hospital ‘greener’. The plan includes a fresh look to the facility’s exterior shell, larger elevators, renovation of the hospital’s main lobby to include a coffee shop, concierge desk, and construction of a modern, larger cafeteria for staff and visitors. Over 600 parking spaces will be added to the Unity Park Ridge Campus.
