Ellis Medicine began its last major step in a six-year restructuring effort on Friday, Oct. 5, as it broke ground on a new, state-of-the-art emergency room at Ellis Hospital on Nott Street in Schenectady.
“This project reflects our ongoing commitment to provide you with the highest quality of emergency care,” said Deborah Mullaney, chairwoman of Ellis Medicine Board of Trustees.
The Golub Center for Emergency Care will cost $61 million and will nearly double the size of the emergency room to total 38,000 square feet. A new two-deck parking garage will also be constructed at the current ER parking lot, adding 94 parking spaces and to bring total parking to 212 spaces. The project is expected to be completed in early 2015.
At a groundbreaking attended by Ellis administration and physicians, local officials and community leaders, Ellis Medicine President and CEO James W. Connolly issued thanks to all involved in the project, but singled out Jane and Neil Golub.
“(The Golubs’) vision and their support for the facility for Ellis over the last years have really been inspiring to all of us,” Connolly said.
Neil Golub said he was proud of the team at Ellis for the work it has done towards the expansion and the care it provides.
“This facility is always here when we need it,” he said. “We are very optimistic about the good this new facility will do and the people who will benefit from its service.”
Jane Golub stressed the importance of the emergency room.
“Because emergency is often the main door to the hospital we must have high-quality care,” she said.
Dr. Roger Barrowman, chairman of Emergency Services for Ellis, said the project is the “most colossal” he has ever worked on. It took more than five years of planning.
Barrowman outlined improvements of the new ER, including closer proximity to patients for doctors and nurses, a CT scanner and digital X-ray machine located in the ER and doors on every room for increased privacy. Some other highlights include an increase in private rooms from 47 to 50, cardiac monitoring in every room and kid-friendly rooms. The new ER is also promised to reduce wait times.
Assemblyman George Amedore, R-Rotterdam, said the quality of health care available in a community is an important asset to attracting new homeowners.
“This is a testimony to that quality of care,” Amedore said. “I am so glad that I will be able to really testify and promote the quality of care at Ellis Medicine.”
State Department of Health Commissioner Nirav Shah said Ellis is a model for how to provide high-quality medical care affordably.
“We are using you as an example as we go around the state saying, ‘This can be done,’” Shah said.
Last year, Ellis had more than 85,000 visits to its two ER locations. The project will consolidate its McClellan Street location to the hospital’s main branch on Nott Street. Ellis is estimating it will see 90,000 visits this year, which is the capacity the new facility is being built to serve.
Ellis spokeswoman Donna Evans said people seeking urgent care would be served at the McClellan Street location in the future.
John Voight, director of Emergency Services for Ellis, said every hospital has seen visits increase and the expansion will help address the growing need.
Assemblyman James Tedisco, R-Glenville, joked it was nice to revisit where he gave his first speech.
“My first one was a lot of loud noise and crying,” Tedisco said referring to his birth at the hospital. “A lot of people think my speeches haven’t changed that much since that day, but I think they have.”