Feature Story

Health Center Today, June 30, 2011

Leadership Unveils Elements of ‘Master Plan’

By Chris DeFrancesco

Master Plan
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The Master Plan is expanding to include components of Bioscience Connecticut, including an ambulatory care center and renovation of the “L” building.

A “Master Plan” of the UConn Health Center’s hospital construction and renovation projects is taking shape, and the steering committee tasked with creating it is out with some early details.

In addition to the plans approved last year to renovate John Dempsey Hospital and build a second patient care tower, the Master Plan is in the process of being expanded to include renovations called for under Gov. Dannel P. Malloy’s Bioscience Connecticut proposal. Those would include renovation of the “L” building, construction of a new ambulatory care center on the lower campus, and increases in class sizes at both the medical and dental schools.

Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, vice president for health affairs and medical school dean, together with the steering committee, outlined elements of the plan in an announcement to Health Center faculty, staff and students:

New Tower

• New tower to be located to the north of the hospital building, replacing the existing parking plaza
• 169 new private patient rooms for services including the ICU, Step Down Unit, Hematology/Oncology, Orthopaedics and Medical/Surgical services
• A new emergency department with 37 private rooms
• New 12 operating room suite (includes two hybrid ORs)
• New lobby with amenities
• New inpatient dialysis
• New in-patient rehabilitation center
• Two new parking garages for the new tower with a total of 800 parking spaces, plus a garage with 1,000 spaces for the new ambulatory care center
• Establishment of a medical education floor to accommodate growth in the medical and dental schools, and a clinical support floor
• Relocation of the dental clinics to the ambulatory care center

Existing John Dempsey Hospital

• Upgrades to the Pat and Jim Calhoun Cardiology Center and interventional suites
• Upgrades to clinical laboratories which will relocate and expand to space vacated by the ORs
• Relocation and expansion of the pharmacy
• Expansion of outpatient services within the Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center

The steering committee, building committee, clinical staff, architects, interior designers, structural engineers and planners are collaborating on a schematic design of the hospital construction and renovation projects. That process is expected to take several months.