Hospitals are large, complex facilities that must constantly evolve to enable doctors, nurses and other health care professionals to provide state-of-the-art medical care. The rapid pace of change in medical technology and patient care systems translates into challenges for the professionals responsible for the delivery of the new General Leonard Wood Community Hospital.
One of those challenges is ensuring that the many complex systems within the new facilities perform as expected prior to being turned over to the Defense Health Agency.
With the recent reopening of Nebraska Avenue, Fort Leonard Wood residents have had an opportunity to see construction progress like never before. In addition to the building itself, progress has also produced beautifully landscaped grounds, complete with a healing garden – a peaceful, outdoor retreat where patients and their families can relax and reflect.
“If you have been monitoring the progress of Fort Leonard Wood’s new hospital and clinic facilities, you’ve noticed that exterior construction work is essentially complete,” said Kelly Miller, Fort Leonard Wood hospital program manager for U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Kansas City District. “However, this appearance is deceiving, as construction work inside continues.”
While the new hospital facilities may look great from the outside, there are a few things on the inside needing to be done before doctors and nurses can see patients.
”This work includes completing interior finishes; testing, adjusting and balancing mechanical systems; and commissioning all building systems,” Miller said. “We want to ensure that interior finishes meet functional and aesthetic requirements and that building systems are working as designed. Completion of this work is critical and will ensure Defense Health Agency expectations are met.”
Once these finishes and systems are tested and ready, USACE will turn over the facilities to the Defense Health Agency, which is expected to take place in the spring of 2025.
“Once the Defense Health Agency has taken possession, their experts will install information and communications technology, followed by contractor installation of furniture and equipment,” Miller said. “This is a massive undertaking that includes delivery and installation of roughly 45,000 items over a period of approximately nine months.”
The new hospital facilities, outfitted with high-tech information technology and state-of-the-art medical equipment, will require hospital and clinic staff training and orientation into the new space.
”This will occur prior to relocating hospital and clinic staff and patients into the new facilities, anticipated to be open and fully operational in the spring of 2026,” Miller said.
Like the human body, a hospital is made up of many different structures and systems to ensure it runs as efficiently and healthy as possible. Similarly, the hospital project team is comprised of multiple organizations, each with its own systems and processes for managing the work.
Despite the complexity of the work remaining, the project team is dedicated to ensuring the new hospital provides state-of-the-art care to the Fort Leonard Wood Community for decades to come.
| Date Taken: | 11.22.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.22.2024 16:01 |
| Story ID: | 485991 |
| Location: | MISSOURI, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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