For eight years, Women & Babies Hospital has been meeting the needs of families and their newborns. But lately it has become necessary to look to future growth in order to continue maintaining that high level of service that mothers-to-be and their families deserve during this exciting time in their lives.

In the new patient rooms under construction at Women & Babies Hospital, there will be a well-lit area for babies, which will allow pediatricians to perform exams without leaving the mother’s room.

 

Construction is underway at Women & Babies Hospital, home to the county’s only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Since it first opened in June 2000, Women & Babies Hospital has delivered more than 30,000 babies.

 

We also provide women with comprehensive health services including lab testing, diagnostic imaging, and inpatient and outpatient surgery. In recent years, however, it’s become necessary to address the need for a bigger facility, more patient beds and other changes to accommodate our growing patient population.

 

“The expansion provides us with a wonderful opportunity to meet the needs of our moms and families,” says Dr. Charles A. (Tony) Castle, Senior V.P. of Women & Babies Hospital. “We really took the time to design the expansion of the facility with patients and staff in mind.”

 

From the outset, staff from all units were brought together to meet with the architects so they could understand and address the needs of the nurses, technicians and healthcare providers who are caring for patients. Even details like the placement of oxygen and electrical outlets in rooms were considered. Former patients also participated in focus groups so patient needs could be addressed as well.

 

One of the first units to be addressed is the triage area. Six triage beds will be added to the expanded unit, along with a separate triage waiting area and a new registration desk for triage and day surgery.

 

The NICU will also be expanded, with eight new beds added, bringing the total capacity to 29. New family bonding areas will also be built in the NICU.

 

After giving birth, new mothers stay in couplet care rooms in the Family Pavilion. A two-story addition will be built to house 11 new couplet care rooms, two nurseries and a larger pharmacy with twice the capacity of the existing one.

 

Plans are in the works to refurbish all of the original couplet rooms once the new construction is complete.

 

“The parking area will also be expanded to ensure that patients have an easier time finding a space close to the hospital,” Dr. Castle says.

 

During construction, patient safety has been a top priority. Patient areas have been sealed off from construction areas for infection control, and even the air quality is monitored 24/7 to ensure the highest level of quality and compliance with environmental and infection control standards.

 

Construction is expected to be completed in spring 2009.