Construction is scheduled to begin in May on a three-phase project that will improve patient spaces and provide a hybrid operating room for Memorial Hospital Central. It’s a $7.8 million space that will be used primarily by vascular and cardiovascular surgeons.

Memorial’s Hybrid OR will be equipped with a Siemens Artis Zeego robotic-arm imaging system, giving surgeons a 360-degree view of the patient. Zeego allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive interventional surgeries, enhancing patient care.

Susan Almquist-Baldwin, director of perioperative services for Memorial, stands next to “Slim’’ as she talks about the new Hybrid OR at Memorial. Multiple administrative offices have moved to make room for the new surgical suite.

“I’m very excited about the room. It’s been a long time coming,’’ said Dr. Scott Hurlbert, vascular surgeon at Memorial. “We will use the room to do all sorts of minimally invasive procedures, such as repairing aortic aneurysms and heart valves. The room will also give us the ability to do cases that combine open and interventional techniques.’’

The addition of the Hybrid OR, expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2017, gives MHC 12 operating rooms and a cystoscopy room.

“Currently we are doing cases in the cardiac cath lab, which has great imaging but doesn’t have the sterility of the OR. In the OR, we have sterility but not the quality of imaging. The Hybrid OR will afford our patients great imaging in a sterile environment,’’ Hurlbert said.

As demand for endovascular surgery grows, Memorial will now do more transcatheter aortic valve repair; endovascular aortic aneurysm repair and stenting of the brain and arteries in the legs, said Susan Almquist-Baldwin, director of perioperative services for Memorial.

The Hybrid OR will be staffed by clinicians from multiple disciplines – radiology, cardiology and surgery, Almquist-Baldwin said.

Jennifer Toll, project manager from Design and Construction, said the new Hybrid OR will be constructed north of the Central Elevator core, where OR administrative offices and POHA are currently located. To make room for the OR, the project will be conducted in three phases:

• Phase I – Relocate the Pre-Operative Holding Area adjacent to outpatient surgery waiting on first floor of MHC, and make upgrades to the electrical and medical gas systems.
• Phase II – Renovate the existing PACU with electrical, mechanical and medical gas upgrades. This project includes enlarged patient stations, new finishes and nurses’ stations.
• Phase III – Build the 1,800-square-feet Hybrid OR, control room, equipment storage, imaging equipment room, scrub and gurney alcoves. As is typical in imaging environments, the OR suite will include lead-lined exterior walls to shield people in adjacent locations.

“We’re expecting to complete all three phases of work in the spring of 2017. Construction should begin on the first phase in May,’’ Toll said. “This project will provide much-needed upgrades to the POHA and PACU areas, as well as add hybrid OR technology and integration to our existing OR suite.’’

Making room for the Hybrid OR has required several departments located within the hospital to move to new locations. They include: Risk to Room 3170; Compliance Serve to the MAC building; and Clinical Documentation/Quality, Quality Patient Safety, Quality Abstractors and Research Management  to 2402. Service Excellence will move to Room 4603 and offices in the East Tower lobby.

Smaller department moves associated with the entire project include Infection Prevention to 3393; Quality Interpreters to 3390; Valet supervisor to Building 7 and Transport Office to 2199E.

Finally, the Perioperative offices and surgery support groups will relocate to second floor, North Tower.

All of the new locations require some floor-covering work, patching, painting and furniture reconfiguration and installation. All moves related to the Hybrid OR were to be completed by March 1, 2016, according to Sue Culver, project design coordinator.