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SRMC plans open house at new, larger Endoscopy Unit

Lois Jones, a registered nurse and organizational development instructor for Salem Regional Medical Center’s education department holds an orientation session for Endoscopy Unit staff members in what will be the family waiting area of the newly expanded unit. The public can tour the new Endoscopy Unit and Outpatient Registration area on the ground floor of the hospital during an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 31. The event will include self-guided tours, displays, informational handouts and refreshments. The new unit opens for patient care on Feb. 2. (Salem News photo by Mary Ann Greier)

SALEM –Salem Regional Medical Center will unveil a new Endoscopy Unit that’s twice the size of its predecessor during an open house from 4 to 6 p.m. Jan. 31, providing more space for an increased need in services while also meeting the need for privacy.

“There’s more room for the patients and more privacy,” SRMC Director of Public Relations Michele Hoffmeister said.

Community members can come see for themselves during the event next Tuesday, with self-guided tours of the new Endoscopy Unit and Outpatient Registration area, displays, informational handouts and refreshments. The unit will open to patients on Feb. 2.

The $6.3 million expansion  project launched last March took under a year to complete, focusing not just on renovating the Endoscopy Unit and relocating and enhancing Outpatient Registration but on also making improvements to the walls, flooring and lighting in the hallways from the main lobby to the Outpatient Lab and from the Emergency Department to the Surgery Center.

The new look includes a large circular light fixture just outside the elevators on the ground floor, splashing more light on that area where those two corridors connect.

The space where the Endoscopy Unit begins used to house the Outpatient Procedures Department, which moved into a renovated space on the first floor in October 2015, and Outpatient Registration, which has moved to the other side of the Endoscopy Unit as part of the expansion.

For those who don’t know, the Endoscopy Unit is where physicians can use specialized equipment and procedures “to diagnose and treat a variety of stomach, colon and digestive health conditions; as well as lung diseases,” a written press release said.

The size of the expanded unit is now 11,600 square feet, which Hoffmeister said provides more room to do more procedures.

“Our endoscopy procedure volumes have shown a dramatic 31 percent increase over the past seven years, with approximately 3,700 procedures performed in the last fiscal year. Designed as a state-of-the-art facility, the expanded unit is equipped with the latest technology and will allow us to accommodate the growing endoscopy needs at SRMC,” Dr. Anita Hackstedde said in the press release.

Hackstedde serves as SRMC president/CEO and said the expansion was necessary to meet “the high demand for outpatient and endoscopy services.”

Procedures performed in the Endoscopy Unit include colonoscopy and upper endoscopy, Bravo capsule study, SpyGlass technology for gallstones, use of a fiber optic probe attached to an endoscope or small flexible tube equipped with a light and camera to examine bile ducts, liver, gallbladder and pancreas, a new treatment for Barrett’s Esophagus disease, ReShape non-surgical weight loss balloon and bronchoscopy for airway and lung examination.

According to the press release, the services can help physicians in the identification of cancer, ulcers, bleeding, inflammation, tumors, polyps and other disorders. Seven different physicians perform endoscopies in the unit.

The Endoscopy Unit is home to four procedure rooms which utilize boom technology hanging from the ceiling, allowing for the easy movement and adjustment of equipment. Hoffmeister said this keeps equipment off the floor so it’s a safer environment for patients and staff. One of the four rooms has negative airflow, which enhances infection control and is used for bronchoscopy procedures. There’s also a room equipped with storage cabinets for drying scopes after the cleaning process, using circulated air to prevent infection. The scopes are hung to avoid moisture buildup after cleaning.

The 16 private patient treatment bays include televisions, private bathrooms, nurse call systems, patient monitoring systems, wall suction and oxygen and space for family members. This is where patients are prepped for the procedure and then return to recover and get ready to go home.

There are also two large nursing stations, smaller charting stations, offices for doctors and anesthesiologists, storage, and a larger family waiting area.

“The size and design of the new unit will enhance our patients’ comfort and privacy during their visit, while encouraging family involvement,” SRMC Unit Director of Outpatient Services Pam Mercer, RN, said in the release. “The expanded layout is also better suited to meet patient care needs, with private restrooms and expanded space for improved workflow and efficiency.”

Hoffmeister said the new space for Outpatient Registration also offers more privacy for patients. Outpatient Registration registers more than 50,000 patients for testing each year.

“Providing high quality care and services for our patients is at the forefront of everything we do,” Hackstedde said. “This expansion project has enabled SRMC to continue to move forward in our new era of service delivery, as we strive to meet the health care needs of the communities we serve.”

For more information about the open house event, call 330-332-7227.

mgreier@salemnews.net

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