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Hospital increases its surgical capacity
The new operating rooms at Mary Washington Hospital could mean earlier start times and shorter waits for patients and their families
Date published: 3/22/2007
BY JIM HALL The new operating rooms at Mary Washington Hospital are larger than the old ones and better appointed. Yet their presence, rather than their appearance, may be what matters for patients. The four rooms opened on the second floor of the hospital in October, after a $9 million, yearlong construction project. Hospital officials hope that the rooms will mean earlier start times and shorter waits for surgeries. Officials also have been able to recruit new surgeons to the area, because now there's a place for them to work. "It makes our lives better," said Dr. Victor J. D'Addio, vascular surgeon. "It makes patients lives better. If I'm waiting, they're waiting." The surgical section now has 14 operating rooms, up from 10. There's also a replacement "cysto" room for surgeries involving the kidney, ureter and bladder. The expansion included a family waiting room to replace the two waiting rooms used before and additional pre-operative and post-operative space. Mary Washington officials petitioned the state Health Department in 2005 for permission to expand surgical services. They said at the time that the service was so busy that some operations did not begin until 9 or 10 at night. "That's becoming the norm rather than the exception," said Fred M. Rankin III, president and chief executive officer. Today, 11 rooms are used regularly, and three have been reserved for new specialists who have either just started or are expected to arrive this summer. These include Dr. Rod L. Flynn, surgical oncologist; Dr. J. Timothy Sherwood, thoracic surgeon and Dr. Victor R. Stelmack, bariatric surgeon. "We didn't want to make a lot of changes until we saw what the new surgeons needed," said Elyse Dorman, interim director of the operating rooms. Most surgeries are done during the day, from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. However, "add-ons" or unscheduled surgeries can push the schedule into the evening. On busy days, the hospital may have seven rooms going until 7 p.m. One room is available through the night for emergencies. But the expansion has eliminated much of this night surgery, D'Addio said. "They just have more rooms during the day to get cases done," he said. The new rooms also are about one-third bigger than the old rooms, allowing more space for specialty equipment. "Predominantly you will see neurosurgery and orthopedics in those rooms because of their size," Dorman said. The new rooms also contain cameras and flat-screen monitors to allow everyone to follow the progress of surgery. In addition, a nearby conference room has been electronically connected so nursing students or other groups can watch. Patients usually don't distinguish between the old rooms and the new ones, because they are unconscious, Stelmack said. But surgeons have noticed the difference. "They're all very well equipped, don't get me wrong," Stelmack said. "It's just that some of them have built-in wall cabinets, beautiful wood tables and flat-screen TVs everywhere. "The technical stuff is there, but the aesthetics aren't the same," he added. Jim Hall: 540/374-5433Email: jhall@freelancestar.com
Read more stories about Fredericksburg Date published: 3/22/2007
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