Surgery Center open for operations now

The center has a new central supply room and seven operating suites.

STAFF REPORT

SALEM — The state-of-the-art Surgery Center at Salem Community Hospital recently began operations.

The addition to the hospital cost $15.5 million, and ongoing renovation of the facility will cost another $3.5 million.

The expansion, started in fall 2007, continues to provide advanced surgical care to area residents.

The new 19,366 square-foot addition to the east side of the hospital houses seven operating suites with the latest equipment and safety equipment, said Michele Hoffmeister, the hospital’s director of public relations.

Each suite has X-ray equipment that streamlines care by making high-quality images readily available to surgeons during operations.

Cords, lines, surgical equipment and medical gases are now managed through the use of overhead booms. In the past, the cords and other items were on the floor and were a potential safety hazard.

The construction also created a new central supply room, where surgical tools and equipment are stored or prepared for surgery.

A new hospital entrance was constructed close to the surgery area.

In the second phase, a 40-seat surgical waiting room will be created. A new, computerized patient tracking board will provide general progress reports on patients while protecting the patient’s privacy. Consultation rooms will be added for surgeons and family members.

The project is expected to be completed in about nine months.

The hospital also is moving toward a fully electronic medical record system. “Admin Rx,” a computerized medication administration program, starts next month.

“Overall, Salem Community Hospital is doing well,” Hoffmeister said. “The hospital employs about 1,000 people to provide care to local residents. Though the number of inpatients remains steady, the number of people seeking outpatient care at SCH has increased. To meet their needs and ensure the availability of technologically advanced, quality care, the hospital continues to enhance services such as medical imaging, laboratory, sleep lab, cardiopulmonary rehabilitation and the emergency department.”