Hospital Move – Day One

Tori Ray, Registration and Scheduling

Memorial Hospital is in the midst of the move to the new building. Tori Ray in Scheduling and Registration appreciated the cooperation of patients yesterday, on the first day of the move.

“The patients have been so understanding. Bless their hearts,” she said. “We had some people who had to go back to the old building to get their labs done because the lab wasn’t moved yet, then walk back to get their x-rays done in the new building. Everyone was very cooperative and we’re very grateful for that. So far things have gone smoothly. It may be a hectic couple of weeks, but we’ll get through it. Our IT staff has been working around the clock to get us set up in the new building and we are so thankful for them.”

Director of Volunteer Services Michelle McClanahan

Director of Volunteer Services Michelle McClanahan was excited about the hospital’s new gift shop, which will offer a variety of new items, including cappuccino, soda, fruit drinks, handmade scarves and KU and K-State merchandise.

“We’re really excited to be able to offer a larger gift shop to accommodate the needs of our patients, visitors and staff,” she said.

New Memorial Hospital Opening This Week

The long-awaited completion of the new hospital is here, and Memorial Hospital’s clinical care services will move into the new building between May 1 and May 13.  As of May 8, patients and visitors should park in front of the new building and use the new hospital entrance.  Effective May 13, all services are scheduled to be operating in the new building.

The Emergency Department will relocate to the new building at 5 a.m. on May 8.  Please remember that the ROSE Unit will remain in its current location on the third floor and should continue to be accessed through the north door.

During the transition period, the hospital’s clinical departments will systematically move into the new location.  Not all departments will be able to move on the same day or at the same time.  We apologize for the confusion this may create; however, all services will be accessible from the main entrance of the new building.  Staff will work hard to keep disruption and confusion at a minimum.  Assistance will be available to help you find your way.

MRI Magnet Delivered to New Hospital

The MRI magnet is shown being delivered on the south side of Memorial Hospital’s new building last Monday.

The MRI Magnet is shown in the future suite of Memorial Hospital’s Radiology and Imaging Services. Construction crews have now filled the opening in the south wall that was designated for the MRI delivery.

The magnet for the new MRI machine at Memorial Hospital was delivered last Monday. The magnet weighs five tons, and made it through an opening on the south side of the new hospital building with a quarter inch of vertical space to spare.

Memorial Hospital Radiology and Imaging Services Director Jim Barten watched as the magnet was brought into the new facility. Barten says he’s enthusiastic about Memorial Hospital now being able to offer MRI services on site Monday through Friday, instead of two half days a week with the mobile MRI service Memorial Hospital currently uses.

“There will be more scheduling openings, and more time to work with each patient. There are some patients that have trouble lying still because of claustrophobia or pain, and sometimes it takes more time to get the MRI because of that. Having the MRI on site gives our patients and staff more flexibility.”

Memorial Hospital MRI Technologist Jarrod Haselhorst says the new MRI will eliminate the need for people to travel out of town to receive an MRI, saving them time and money.

“The more services our hospital can offer our patients locally, the better it is for both patients and the hospital,” Haselhorst said. “This gives Abilene the advantage of offering a big-city service in a family atmosphere.”

Haselhorst has 10 years of experience providing radiology and imaging services, and has more than 5 years of experience as an MRI Technologist. He says that one of his fellow radiologic techs at Memorial Hospital, Chelsea Finke, is training to be an MRI Technologist, and another, Noel Schultze, will be cross training in the future.

Anyone who is interested in viewing more photos or information about Memorial Hospital’s building project is encouraged to “Like” Memorial Health System’s Facebook.

Interior Work Progresses on New Hospital

Work is continuing to progress inside the new hospital building. Above, the future main entrance to the hospital is shown on the right. Automatic sliding doors have been installed at the main entrance. Work continues on the main entrance area, which will provide patients easy access to registration, outpatient and clinic waiting areas, and MemorialHospital’s Gift Shop. Below, the future MedSurg/OB Nurses’ Station is shown. Most cabinets and counters have been installed, and walls have been painted. The new hospital is scheduled to be opened in mid-May and hospital departments are currently planning the move from the current hospital to the replacement hospital. More photos of the interior progress can be found on Memorial Health System’s Facebook. Click “Like,” then view recent posts to view the photos.

Work Continues on Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center

The new Memorial Hospital Birthing Center is taking shape. Soon the flooring will be laid in this Labor Deliver Recovery Postpartum (LDRP) room.  The LDRP rooms will allow mothers to stay in one room while an inpatient.  A new mother will no longer deliver her baby in the delivery room and then move to a different room for the postpartum stay.  The large rooms offer plenty of space for family members to be comfortable while visiting.  Memorial Hospital’s Birthing Center offers three LDRPs.  The Birthing Center also has a state-of-the-art infant security system which will provide peace of mind for parents and staff.

Emergency Department in New Hospital

The floor plan of the Emergency Department in Abilene’s new Memorial Hospital allows more space, convenience, and privacy for patients. There are more trauma rooms and each is a private room. The new Emergency Department is also more secure, which is better for patient safety. Two trauma rooms are shown above.

Construction Update Video

Eagle Communications recently filmed a hospital construction update for Channel 2. Dennis Weese of Eagle Communications interviews MHS CEO Mark Miller and Memorial Hospital Radiology and Imaging Services Manager Jim Barten. Watch it here.

Building Project Featured on Local TV Program

Memorial Hospital’s Building Project was the topic of conversation on Eagle Communications’ “Community Connections” program. Memorial Health System CEO Mark Miller discusses the impact the new hospital will have on our community, various MHS services, and health system projects.

View the video here. 

Memorial Health System Employees Tour New Hospital

Main Entrance – Exterior View

Future MedSurg Patient Room

Future MedSurg Hallway

Future MRI Room – Radiology

Future Lab

Future Outpatient Waiting Area – Looking Out Toward Main Entrance and Old Building

Last Friday, Memorial Health System employees had the opportunity to tour the new hospital building. MHS Director of Buildings and Grounds Wade Needham led the tour. Above is a gallery with some pictures from the tour with descriptive captions. A larger photo gallery can be found on MHS’s Facebook page. (Click “Like” and scroll down to view the post from today, January 29th).

The MHS employees on the tour expressed enthusiasm for the hospital building project.  Here are some things employees learned on the tour:

• Memorial Hospital will remain a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital. All MedSurg/OB rooms will now have private bathrooms that have wide enough doors for wheelchair-bound patients.
• There will be two Labor and Delivery rooms and a “Swing Room” that can be used for Labor and Delivery or MedSurg patients (depending on what the need is at the time).
• The new Birthing Center will have increased electronic security for the prevention of infant abductions. Doors will automatically close if a newborn is brought past a certain point.
• There will be a tornado shelter at the end of each MedSurg/OB patient hallway. Instead of having to take patients down two flights of stairs to the basement, nurses will be able to easily walk or wheel patients down the hall and into the shelters in the event of a tornado warning.
• Memorial Hospital’s Lab will now have private drawing rooms.
• Memorial Hospital will now have a “Hospice Room.” This room is especially for Hospice patients and family members. A kitchenette and sleeping area are adjacent to the room for the comfort and convenience of family members.
• All hospital clinical areas will be on one floor.
• The new layout of the hospital will increase patient privacy, mandated by federal law.
• Memorial Hospital will have a larger gift shop near its entrance.
• There will be two operating rooms, located on the same level as MedSurg/OB areas- so a surgery patient may be easily wheeled into a recovery room.

Do you have any questions about Memorial Hospital’s building project? Please click “Leave a Comment” and include your email contact information, or email us at feedback@mhsks.org.

Interior Work Continues On New Hospital

Work is continuing to progress inside the new hospital building. Drywall Systems Incorporated staff is shown installing metal work around the inside of the future main entrance. Eventually automatic sliding doors will be installed at the main entrance.

Due to outdoor temperatures, the outside work at the new Memorial Hospital building is presently confined to the tented area under the drive-through canopy where metal work, electrical and sheet rock installation are continuing. Workers have been busy inside the new building. The MRI shielding walls have been constructed and sheet rock will soon be installed. A coat of primer has been applied to the Radiology Department wall and acoustical ceiling grid is going up throughout the area. Hard ceilings are being framed in the Surgery Department. A second coat of paint is being applied and cabinetry is being installed in the north and south Med/Surg wings and the Emergency Department. Wiring for the nurse call system is being installed. Nearly all of the patient bathrooms have been tiled. Fire alarm devices are being installed.

The completion date for Phase 1 of the construction project is still scheduled for May 2013.