Chalmette, LA - Residents are now counting down days to the opening of the first hospital since Katrina. The 40-bed hospital and medical office building under construction in the parish, is just weeks to completion. Sunday, FOX 8 took a tour of this state of the art medical center.
"It's really designed to actually meet the needs of the patient as they present themselves to this facility. What we tried to do with the lobby as well as what you'll see in the patient rooms, is give it a more open, more of a hotel effect, as opposed to an institution effect, because you're treating the visitors, as well as you're treating the patients," said Wayne Landry, Chairman of the Hospital Service Dist., and Hospital Foundation.
It's being called one of the last major components to Katrina recovery in St. Bernard parish. The massive economic development project has been over three years in the works.
"There was a lot of steps involved and a lot of people that helped us pull this mission off," said Landry.
Landry, says the new facility will be one of the most medically advanced, state of the art hospitals in the region.
"The entire facility here, is electronically controlled through electronic medical records, all your diagnostics, your ct, your radiology, all of that will be electronic, so even in the operating room, they can pull up all of your electronic chart," said Landry.
Landry says up to 140 people will staff the facility once it's officially opened. The old Chalmette medical center flooded after Katrina, and never re-opened. Five years later in November of 2010, residents supported a 10-year millage, which helped fund a new hospital in the parish.
"Without that, this facility could have never been built, so first of all, the people of St. Bernard, came to the line, and made this project possible," said Landry.
Hospital construction reflects lessons learned from Katrina. Landry says more than $10-million dollars in operating systems were built into the second floor, 25 feet off the ground. The new hospital can also take high winds, and it's even built to withstand seismic activity.
"So this probably right now is the strongest building in St. Bernard parish," said Landry.
The $90-million facility is financed through grants, tax credits and state capital outlay dollars.
Landry also says, there's a lot of room for expansion, they can add at least 60 beds without adding a fourth floor.
The construction completion date is set for August 1st. The hospital will be run by the Franciscan Order.
