St. Elizabeth Healthcare in Florence is in the middle of expanding the hospital with an addition that will be completed by fall 2023.
The hospital has invested as much as $85 million in adding or renovating 125,000 square feet of space for patient rooms and specialty departments, according to Nathan Skaggs, public relations officer for the hospital.
Skaggs said the expansion will include inpatient orthopedic surgery with an increased bed capacity. That addition will also concentrate staff, equipment and resources to one location of the hospital. The project will also add units for elective total joint replacement, hip fracture and trauma, shoulder and upper extremity, and a new inpatient spine unit.
Citing a United Health Foundation study, Garren Colvin said Kentucky had the second-highest percentage of adults with multiple chronic health conditions in 2021, demonstrating the “clear need in our community.”
The renovation will improve 10 existing operating rooms and create five new operating rooms as well, the announcement from St. Elizabeth states.
Parking lots will be resurfaced and at least one will be added, in addition to a new atrium, a new waiting area and improved walkways for patient and hospital traffic that aim to make navigating the hospital easier.
“With the improved facility, patients and their loved ones will be able to effortlessly park and find the entrance for the service they need, receive highly specialized care and recover in a state-of-the-art facility—all without traveling outside their community,” said hospital Chief Operating Officer Bruno Giacomuzzi.
St. Elizabeth is working with Messer Construction Co. as the construction manager for the Florence campus expansion and upgrades. Champlin Architecture is leading the design, CT Consultants Inc. is the providing civil engineer, THP Limited Inc. is the structural engineer and KLH Engineers is the mechanical and electrical engineer. Construction began in 2021 and all updates are scheduled to be complete by fall 2023.