LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
Phase one of the hospital construction project managed by the Norfolk District of the Army Corps of Engineers is still on track and within the $65 million budget.
Construction is due to be completed by February 2009 with the new part of the hospital scheduled to open in the summer of 2009 after all the proper equipment has been moved in.
The new construction will double the size of the hospital and include many upgrades such as evidence based design.
"Evidence based design is when you're trying to create a healing environment within the hospital, for example lots of sunlight when you walk in, controlling the room temperature, quality features; it's trying to create an atmosphere of healing and make the patients more comfortable," said Col. Dionysios Anninos, Army Corps of Engineers Norfolk District commander. "That's what we're doing with this hospital; you'll see a lot of those features incorporated."
The new part of the hospital will include an intensive care unit, state-of-the-art fully digitally integrated operating rooms with high definition monitors and voice-command and remote-controlled equipment. The urgent care center will also convert back to a full emergency room.
"Right now we have what's called an intermediate care ward," said Col. John Degoes, 1st Medical Group commander. "A few patients that would otherwise have to be transferred to local civilian hospitals or Naval Medical Center Portsmouth will be able to stay here. The new intensive care unit will enable us to increase the services we deliver."
For the Langley community, the 1st Medical Group hopes to provide extended hours, weekend clinics, less referrals and more manning authorizations to increase the staffing, Colonel Degoes said.
Although construction is taking place the hospital has remained fully operational.
"The good news is we have had no disruption in service and we anticipate no disruption in service," said Colonel Anninos.
Although the Army Corps of Engineers manages the construction of the hospital, the 1st Civil Engineer Squadron is in charge of making sure that the project meets the Air Force's needs.
"Working a project like the hospital is great for us as Air Force civil engineers," said Lt. Col. Jeffery Ullmann, 1st Civil Engineer Squadron commander. "We build many mission facilities, runways, office complexes and civil engineer compounds, but the opportunity to help the Langley community by more than doubling the size of the current hospital and the health care benefits that it's going to bring has really been a great experience. We're looking forward to getting finished and seeing the patients come in to use the new facilities."