As part of a $13 million multi-phase renovation and expansion of its emergency and urgent care services,
Alle-Kiski Medical Center (AKMC) in Natrona Heights is undertaking a $3.5 million relocation and upgrade of its endoscopy unit.
Specializing in minimally invasive procedures that look inside the body with an endoscope, AKMC’s endoscopy unit will undergo a complete upgrade, expand to include 7,000 square feet and relocate to the hospital’s first floor. The project calls for redesigning the unit, installing new equipment, adding endoscopic and short-term procedure rooms, and upgrading recovery and waiting areas. Contractor is
Volpatt Construction.
In addition to accommodating the hospital’s growing endoscopy volume, the relocation and renovation will also create much-needed space for AKMC’s current capital project—its largest in 23 years. Prompted by an increased demand for emergency services within the four-county region it serves, AKMC is doubling the size of its emergency department, which was constructed 25 years ago to accommodate 20,000 annual patient visits and now serves 34,000. Architect is
Valentour, English, Bodnar & Howell.
In order to reduce waiting times and double annual patient volume, the project will also add pediatric, cardiac, orthopedic, and gynecologic treatment rooms, enlarge patient waiting and registration areas and redesign patient flow. Psychiatric, decontamination and bereavement rooms will be created and improvements to AKMC's Citizens Ambulatory Care Center in New Kensington will also be made. Work on the endoscopy unit will begin this month.
The new unit, which is expected to perform 9,000 procedures annually, will be operational prior to the completion of AKMC’s emergency department renovation. To date, the AKMC has raised $8 million to support the expansion, which is slated for completion in 2010.
Writer:
Jennifer BaronSource Linda Jaskolka, Alle-Kiski Medical Center
Image courtesy Alle-Kiski Medical Center