St. Mary's prepares for relocation with mock moves

 Larry Boothe and other members of Allied Hospital Services move a box full of crutches and other medical equipment into the new St. Mary's Hospital Thursday afternoon in preparation for the big move Sunday to the new location at the intersection of Mission Drive and Missouri 179.
Larry Boothe and other members of Allied Hospital Services move a box full of crutches and other medical equipment into the new St. Mary's Hospital Thursday afternoon in preparation for the big move Sunday to the new location at the intersection of Mission Drive and Missouri 179.

The SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital Jefferson City (SSM) is getting ready for its big move on Sunday.

The staff has rehearsed the move multiple times with the law enforcement and ambulance services that are assisting. The operation will not interrupt any of the care or treatments being administered to patients at the older building, said Dr. Stephen Stewart, regional vice president. The move will start at 6 a.m. and will continue throughout the day.

The older hospital will continue to receive emergency room visits until the move, but after 6 a.m., the emergency rooms of the new building will be open for business.

"It is very well thought out, extensively planned and very well rehearsed," said Mike Hyde, director of interventional services. "We have done two mock moves already where we brought ambulances in and moved people and identified any areas for improvement. So we are fully prepared for the move."

The hospital is opening two months ahead of schedule and under the budget of $218 million, said Tracy O'Rourke, vice president of strategy and marketing. The construction for the new building began shortly after the groundbreaking ceremony in 2012.

"We have been at our current location for over 100 years, and in those years we have had many additions and changes. But now the current location is landlocked and there is no ability to change or expand," O'Rourke said about the older building. "We wanted to have a more modern facility with all private patient rooms, the latest technology and a more patient-centered care model. The current campus would not allow for that, so it was more economical for us to build on a new location."

The new building is ahead of schedule because of thorough planning before the work began, and some luck with the weather, O'Rourke said.

"So far I think everything has been very well orchestrated," Stewart said. "We have been working for months on the move plan. ... We have had a significant number of training sessions for the physicians, nurses and staff so we can get them as familiar as possible (with the new building). I think we are well prepared for the new move."

The new hospital will be equipped with the latest technology and design features to make caring for patients more efficient than previously possible at the older hospital, Hyde said. For example, the building will have separate paths to multiple areas; one will be for the public and families of the patients, and the other will be for physicians, nurses and transporting patients. Each room is set to be the same with supplies for nurses and physicians located throughout the building, rather than at a central location. Nurses will be able to do bedside registration, decreasing wait time between arrival and treatment.

There is enough room for 178 beds, which is more space than at the older building, Stewart said. There will also be eight new operating rooms and two new CATH labs for heart catheterization, and the emergency department will have 28 patient bays.

"We have designed the new birthing center to allow the moms and babies to stay in the same room for the entire process, from labor to delivery and recovery," O'Rourke said. "A lot of hospitals will have two rooms to stay in, but this is an all-in-one suite. They are designed to accommodate the family as well, and that helps with a better patient experience and a more efficient model for care with us in the long term."

As for the old building, the hospital is still working with its real estate agent, Samsone, and exploring options with them and others on how to use the building. It is still for sale, and there are no firm plans for the property at this moment, O'Rourke said.