New Hospital Already Expanding
Sonora Regional Medical Center off Greenley Road hasn´t opened it´s doors to patients yet , but it´s already undergoing remodeling and enlargement.
Construction is underway to add three new surgery suites to the main floor of the new hospital.
“The new hospital was designed with expansion in mind,” Hospital construction coordinator Val Devitt said. He mused , “We just didn´t expect to do it so quickly.”
Hospital spokeswoman Gail Witzlsteiner says doing the addition now will save the hospital millions of dollars in the long run. She says the change was part of approved plans by the state.
As we reported last week, the new hospital will officially open January 14, 2004. The facility is expected to be ready for move-in around the Christmas holiday, but “that´s not an optimum time for hospital workers,” Witzlsteiner said.
A community grand opening is planned for Sunday, January 11, 2004. Hospital President Lary Davis said, “The new Sonora Regional Medical Center is a tremendous gift to our community.” He went on to say the open house will be a way for the community to come and see the new medical healthcare campus.
Hospital Building and Equipment Corp., builders of the new hospital, are expected to turn over the facility to hospital staff at the end of September. It will take about 8-10 weeks for the hospital to apply for and receive all the necessary permits to begin operation, Witzlsteiner said.
