More OR space on the way

When construction of the operating rooms (ORs) at the new the WVU Heart and Vascular Institute is complete this summer, two of the existing operating rooms on the fifth floor of J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital will become available for non-cardiac/vascular cases.

“We’re expanding our OR space because of the growing need for surgical care at WVU Medicine,” said Michael Hurst, MD, DDS, medical director, Perioperative Services. “Over a two-year period – 2014 to 2016 – we increased our surgical and endoscopy case load by about 5,000 or 15 percent. And that trend isn’t slowing down anytime soon.”

Dr. Hurst adds that plans are also in place to remodel one of the current operating rooms located on the fifth floor this fall. “We want to be able to use the room for a variety of operations, and renovations are necessary to improve functionality.”

In addition to the 2017 OR expansion efforts, more is planned in 2018. The WVU Hospitals’ board of directors recently approved the addition of four new ORs. These will be created in space on the fifth floor currently occupied by the Anesthesiology administrative offices, which will be moving.

To learn more about OR expansion, don’t miss the Perioperative Services town hall meeting taking place on Wednesday, May 17, at 7 a.m. in the Okey Patteson Auditorium in the WVU Health Sciences Center. All are welcome.