“In that 38 beds will be six ICU (intensive care unit) beds, which are important to assist in some of the patients that are coming from our emergency room that maybe need some additional care and oversight,” Mombach said, noting the extra beds would also benefit surgical patients. “Having that additional capability up here will certainly meet a need.”
Officials declined to release a firm figure for the investment, only saying it will amount to several million dollars in work at the Hamilton-Mason Road campus.
Construction is expected to begin in four to six weeks, with the facility on target to open in December 2015.
With the new building will come 45 to 50 new jobs, the majority being nursing staff, Mombach said. The network currently has 190 employees on the Hamilton campus.
“It not only gives job security to our existing staff, but gives opportunities for the Greater Hamilton community also,” Mombach said.
Once construction is complete, the hospital will have a total of 48 patient beds to accommodate higher-acuity patients being admitted through its 17-bay emergency department that opened in February 2013, as well as inpatient surgical cases, according to TriHealth.
“Excellent medical care is vital to the growth of a community, and we are excited about the opportunity to expand Bethesda Butler Hospital again,” said John Prout, president and chief executive officer of TriHealth. “We look forward to meeting Butler County’s growing need for high quality care.”
Before TriHealth acquired the former Butler County Medical Center in 2012, the network did extensive work to evaluate the need for additional services through focus groups, telephone surveys, demographic studies and input from physicians and surgeons, Mombach said.
“We have a fairly robust strategic planning process … We need to prove to ourselves this a good investment,” Mombach said. “There are several unmet needs from what our patients tell us.”
Since 2012, the network has opened locations of its TriHealth Heart Institute, TriHealth Cancer Institute and Good Samaritan Infusion Center; an emergency department; and two physician practices in pediatrics and internal medicine.
“We’ve always had the outpatient services … this really now takes us to the next level with the expansion of our (inpatient) beds and the support services to go along with it,” said Chuck Brown, executive director of Bethesda Butler Hospital.
The expansion will also include a larger space for inpatient physical therapy; an additional 3,000 square feet for supply and sterilization needs; and two outdoor atrium areas. The outdoor spaces will be connected to the dining and ICU waiting areas.
“We’re trying to create some more general spaces for the public and families so they’re comfortable and also to get a little fresh air out there and to get some more light inside too,” Mombach said.
The property owner Duke Realty will oversee the construction being designed by PFB Architects.
Mombach said existing operations will not be interrupted during construction due to a temporary entrance that will be constructed behind the building at 3125 Hamilton-Mason Road.
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