Construction Will Add a New Level to Front of Hospital

The Ortho/Spine Unit, a new patient floor designed for Holland Hospital’s top-quality orthopedic and neurosurgery care, is a step closer to becoming a reality. Construction of the 23,400-square-foot addition begins September 4 and is expected to be completed within one year.

The Ortho/Spine Unit will add a second level to the hospital’s east wing along Michigan Avenue. Mike Parker, director of support services and construction, explains that when that wing was added during Holland Hospital’s major expansion project five years ago, it was purposely designed so that additional floors could be built above it. The new unit will have 24 private rooms, which is consistent with the hospital’s long-term goal to have all private rooms, he pointed out.

“Planning this unit incorporated feedback from patients, as well as input from physicians, nurses, physical therapists and other staff who work in this patient area,” Parker says. “Many patients have limited mobility, so private rooms that can accommodate their specific needs was an essential part of the design.”

Continuing Top-Quality Orthopedic Care

Health care trends indicate that the number of orthopedic cases is expected to grow 20 percent over the next 10 years. Holland Hospital’s recent growth has already topped that number, according to orthopedic services coordinator Kristie Dennett, BSN, ONC, RN.

“Our patient volume has increased significantly over the past two years,” Dennett says. She credits word-of-mouth “advertising” driven by Holland Hospital’s innovation, excellent outcomes and benchmark patient satisfaction.

A large share of the growth can be attributed to the hospital’s Joint Replacement Center, which has had record patient volume and continues to receive accolades. The center was recently declared a Destination Center of Superior Performance by the national health care firm Marshall/Steele and Associates, and was designated a Blue Distinction® Center for Knee and Hip Replacement by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

The Ortho/Spine Unit will reinforce the Joint Replacement Center’s high-quality programming in an up-to-date facility. It includes a large classroom that will be used for patient education and group physical therapy sessions.

For Patients and Visitors
Hospital staff have focused their efforts on minimizing any inconvenience to patients and visitors during construction. For their comfort, patient units that might be affected by noise from the construction will be temporarily relocated; nurse staffing and patient services will remain the same.

“Except for the hospital’s outside appearance, many of our patients won’t even be aware there is construction going on,” Parker notes.

Changes that affect visitors have been kept to a minimum: part of the visitor parking lot will be closed (affecting staff only), and there will be a brief period during which the elevator and stairway to the conference center will be closed, requiring those visitors to follow signs to a nearby elevator.

The Visitor Entrance will remain open at all times. The hospital’s west entrance—for patients, outpatient services and the emergency room—is unaffected by the construction. Traffic on Michigan Avenue will also not be affected.