In a time when advanced medical technology and treatments provide high-quality patient care, it makes sense that the facilities in which care takes place should also be up to date. The Campus Modernization Project at Jefferson Healthcare is an ambitious project that will revolutionize the way the health system delivers medical services to the community.
Change for the Better: A New Building Replaces the Old
Per Jake Davidson, Chief Operating Officer at Jefferson Healthcare, the primary reason for the project was “age.” The building that is being deconstructed was built in 1965. It’s no wonder that it became seismically, electrically, and mechanically deficient.
“It really outlived its useful life. Rather than retrofitting it, we’ve decided it is imperative to tip it over and to build new,” states Davidson. “The key piece about this building is that it houses a lot of mission critical services, like our Express Clinic, our MRI for diagnostics, our OBGYN clinic, and our cafeteria. After we did a careful analysis, we decided this was the best practical way. We are going to put in its place a new building that houses all of those services and more, which we’re really excited about.”
Construction is slated to begin about September 2023. While the new building is being worked on, those mission critical departments will be temporarily relocated. For instance, the Express Clinic and OB/GYN clinic will move to other clinical sites. The health system is planning to bring in a mobile MRI trailer. Davidson notes he and his team are committed to maintaining the top-level services the health system provides, even if they exist in different settings.
Expansion of Specialty Services
When the new facility opens, which is projected for January 2025, it will be equipped with specialty services such as pulmonology, neurology, dermatology, ENT (ear, nose, throat), radiation oncology, and a state-of-the-art MRI experience. This is a tremendous advantage for patients who previously had to travel an hour or more to receive specialty care. There will also be new dining/dietary offerings and overall more clinic space.
“We’re really excited about providing those services for our community and growing the top-notch healthcare we have here at Jefferson Healthcare,” shares Davidson. “I think the community has truly looked to Jefferson to provide healthcare for East Jefferson. We continue to grow our primary care areas, but what we’re focused on with this building is growing our specialty services and truly meeting the needs of our patients. We’re really committed to providing care locally at a high quality for our patient community.”
