A Medical Makeover

Brookings Health System has started the last leg of the hospital expansion and renovation project, adding a new polish to the original 1964 Brookings Hospital building.

Approximately one week after the new Brookings Hospital expansion opened construction crews started renovations on the former hospital service areas. 

“The existing hospital space is being remodeled to accommodate services displaced by our construction project, such as outreach, cardiac rehab, and respiratory care. We’ll also bring back on campus ancillary staff who are currently located off campus,” said CEO Jason Merkley. “In addition, we’ll be renovating the front entry off Twenty-Second Avenue to give patients and visitors easy access to both the Medical Plaza and Brookings Hospital.”

To make the new front entry, the old lobby and the second floor space above it is being demolished. In its place a new, spacious lobby with soaring glass windows will welcome visitors to Brookings Health System. Outside a roundabout will allow for easy drop-off and pick-up for patients who have appointments. 

Inside the lobby will be a stairway and elevators to give patients easy access to the second level. Directly upstairs will be the new outreach specialty clinic. The space upstairs once known as the south surgical circle will be remade into the new cardiac rehabilitation gym, complete with locker rooms.

Off the lobby to the south will be the grand hall, a straight passageway that connects the new building with the original one. It will allow visitors to walk freely from the west to the east entrance of the hospital. A gift shop, coffee shop, and seating areas will be lined along the grand hall as well as entrances to offices for the dietitian, respiratory care department and ancillary staff, transforming the space once occupied by radiology and surgery. 

Two former hospital areas, north circle and OB, are intentionally not being remodeled. North circle will temporarily house cardiac rehab services during the renovation process and OB will house the outreach specialty clinic. Once both cardiac rehab and outreach have moved to their new areas, both spaces will be available for future service growth. 

“We thank our patients, visitors and community for their patience thus far during our project,” said Merkley. “Renovation does create some challenges in navigating to certain services. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience and are grateful that our community continues to be excited about, and supportive of, our progress.”

When remodeling finishes late this summer, Brookings Hospital will have an up-to-date appearance reflective of the high-quality care people have come to expect of Brookings Health System. 

Want to learn more about the hospital expansion and renovation project? Visit www.brookingshealth.org/renovation.