Our orthopedic growth

Today, I announced the start of construction on a new sixth-floor Center for Orthopedics, funded with $7.6 million from a New York State HEAL grant. The funds come from New York State, as a result of our voluntary compliance with the recommendations of the Berger Commission (Commission on Healthcare Facilities in the 21st Century).

The construction project will generate up to 150 jobs this year, and the finished center will help us respond to the growth in our orthopedics service. See the story in today's Post-Standard.

From 2005 to 2008, our orthopedic inpatient cases have grown by over 50%. Here are the numbers of inpatients, discharged from Community General Hospital over that period [1]:

2005- 1,236
2006 -1,346
2007 -1,777
2008 -1,882

Last year our hospital served orthopedic patients from 19 counties and from out-of-state as well.
As a result of our patient growth, the orthopedic patient care unit moved from 4 West to a larger 4 North three years ago. Next year it will relocate to the brand new Center for Orthopedics on both Six East & West.

The new Center will have:

▪ 36 private rooms that can flex up to 40 patients at high census.

▪ Decentralized nursing stations in three pods.

▪ All new spacious patient rooms with state-of-the-art beds that help prevent falls and facilitate skin care.

▪ An expanded physical therapy area.

▪ Modern electronics for electronic medical records (EMR), Computer Provider Order Entry (CPOE), and wireless service.

▪ A nurse call system with wireless phones to reduce ambient noise and connect patients directly with nurses.

▪ Design by King & King Architects, the same team that designed our award-winning Jim and DeDe Walsh Family Birth Center.

The rending shows a patient room in the new facility. Hueber-Breuer Construction is managing the build-out.

Many thanks go to the operating room orthopedic staff nurses for helping establish our excellent reputation. They are backed by great therapy and support teams.

And my special acknowledgment goes to our orthopedic surgeons whose skill and trust in our hospital and staff have helped build our growing regional reputation for outstanding care:

Spine Care
Thomas R. Haher, MD
Warren Wulff, MD
Richard Zogby, M.D.

Sports, General Orthopedic Services, &Joint Replacement
Todd C. Battaglia, MD
John J. Cambareri, MD
C. Perry Cooke III, MD
P. James Newman, MD
Joseph A. Smith, MD (past department chair, not currently in practice)

Hand & Upper Extremity
John F. Fatti, MD
Walter H. Short, MD

Joint Care & Surgery
Stephen P. Bogosian, MD (department chair)
Michael T. Clarke, MD
Michael Vella, MD

Foot & Ankle
Frederick R. Lemley, M.D.

[1] Sources of data: HANYS Market Expert, 2005-2007; Hospital financial services, 2009