First Patients Treated at Brookings Hospital Expansion Today
- February 07, 2017
Renovation Starts Next Week in Original Hospital
After 16 months of construction, health care providers treated the first patients at the new Brookings Hospital expansion today. All services, including radiology, surgery, pharmacy, obstetrics and inpatient care, are moved into the building and are operational.
“With our new east expansion in service, we are able to provide a higher level of patient privacy, comfort and total experience,” said CEO Jason Merkley. “We’re able to give patients easy, direct access to outpatient care services like imaging procedures and same-day surgery. We’ve also increased our capacity, added amenities and accommodations for families and visitors, and increased efficiency in our staffing model in order to spend more time on patient care.”
The entire expansion features private patient transport corridors separated from public hallways. Surgery includes 12 private same-day surgery rooms located near the three OR suites and two procedure rooms. It also has a private family consultation room. Radiology now has close proximity to the ER with a private patient transfer hallway connecting the two departments. It also has a new, indoor MRI with a wide bore opening to accommodate all body types. Obstetrics increased from three to five labor, deliver, recovery and postpartum (LDRP) suites and includes a private patient elevator with direct access to the OR for emergency Caesarean deliveries. Inpatient Care features 24 private patient rooms, each with its own private bathroom and shower. The unit also has ample space for families and visitors to gather.
Construction of the 62,500 square-foot hospital completes the second leg of Brookings Health System’s entire hospital expansion and renovation project. Remodeling will start next week inside the original 1964 hospital building.
“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 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.”
In order to remodel, cardiac rehab will be relocated temporarily to north circle in the old hospital. Cardiac rehab patients are asked to enter through the therapy entrance on the north side of campus. The outreach specialty clinic is being relocated to the old obstetrics unit; outreach patients are asked to enter through the new southeast hospital entrance.
“We thank our patients, visitors and community for their patience thus far during our project,” said Merkley. “Renovation will 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.”
Remodeling is slated for completion late this summer. More information about the hospital expansion and renovation project can be found online at www.brookingshealth.org/renovation.
About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed The Neighborhoods at Brookview nursing home, Brookhaven Estates senior living apartments, Yorkshire Eye Clinic, and medical clinics in Arlington, White and Volga, South Dakota. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, surgical and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.