Salem Township Hospital President Alex Nazarian says pre-design has been completed on the hospital’s next big improvement project.
Nazarian says once the rural medical clinic can move to the renovated A wing, that space will become part of an expanded operating room and emergency room. He says the preliminary plans call for the addition of a third operating room as well as a better functioning emergency room.
“For the ER we will be increasing the number of the patient care bays. The existing ones will become larger so there is more room to maneuver and move in equipment easier. And then we will be adding five more exam rooms as well.”
Nazarian says they will also be able to segregate patients with behavioral problems.
“Patients that might come in and present danger to themselves we will be equipped better to monitor the situation with them and if they are disruptive we will be able to better control that. We can better separate it from other patients and make it safer.”
Nazarian says no cost estimates have yet been tabulated. He told the hospital board on Monday he could have that information for discussion at the December meeting and noted the project would not move any further without their direction.
Meanwhile, Nazarian says work continues on the renovation of the old ‘A’ wing into medical offices. He’s still officially hoping the renovated wing will be able to open at the end of February, but says there could still be some issues that would delay the opening.
Nazarian reported positive feedback to the new elevated parking lot in front of the hospital that was recently completed.
The number of inpatients continues to rebound and was nearly at budget of 187 patient days in October. Overall, the hospital’s bottom line was in the black and above budget.
