With the cutting of a gold ribbon, Durham Regional Hospital executives unveiled the facility's new intermediate cardiac care unit Tuesday afternoon.
About 40 hospital officials joined DRH administrators in the Valentine's Day ceremony. "It is an appropriate day to open up the cardiac care and chest pain units," said Dr. David McQuaid, chief executive officer of DRH.
The renovation features 24 upgraded rooms, a telemetry hub, a chest pain center and a new nurse call system. In addition, the nursing station was remodeled, and new tile and lighting were installed.
McQuaid noted that the new facility will allow doctors to give better care to their patients.
Patients will begin to be admitted into the rooms Thursday. The chest pain center will be ready for use in a few weeks.
The opening marks the end of the first phase of a $2.9-million renovation to upgrade technology and modernize facilities.
For the next nine months, one of the seven wings of the hospital will be shut down every seven weeks for revamping, said Ken Powell, associate operating officer of facilities for DRH.
Administrators estimate that the project will near completion by the hospital's 30th anniversary in October 2006.
"We had catching up to do," Powell said. "With these new renovations, this doesn't just catch us up, it puts us at the forefront."
The telemetry hub and chest pain center were two particularly necessary additions, Powell said, because they help increase patient safety.
The telemetry hub features remote cardiac and oxygen saturation monitoring and recording.
It will allow doctors to observe patients' cardiac signs from most locations in the hospital, even if the patients are in a different wing or being moved for testing.
The chest pain center is a six-bay observation center for patients who present themselves to the Emergency Department with signs of a heart attack, among other problems.
"We expect to have more time and resources to dedicate to caring for and educating each patient," Dr. Robert Buchanan, chief of cardiology at Durham Regional, said in a statement. "Additionally, these capabilities will decrease waiting time in the Emergency Department and are expected to increase patient satisfaction."
DRH's lobby also underwent renovation earlier this year. A coffee bar will be completed within several weeks.
Katie Galbraith, director of marketing and corporate communications for DRH, said all of the renovations are part of a larger goal of increasing patient satisfaction and comfort.
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