Good Samaritan Hospital in Indiana to Proceed with Building Plan

VINCENNES, Ind. – Good Samaritan Hospital is moving forward with a master-facility plan that encompasses a 120-bed, five-story inpatient tower, re-design of key healthcare service areas and upgrade of the hospital’s critical engineering systems. The Good Samaritan Hospital Board of Governors approved the plan recently at its board meeting.

Rob McLin, president and CEO of Good Samaritan Hospital, said completion of this master-facility plan is consistent with the realization of the hospital’s corporate mission and vision. He said Good Samaritan Hospital’s vision to be recognized as the regional center of excellence for health care in Southwest Indiana and Southeast Illinois requires a constant focus on growth.


“This project is a substantial investment that embodies our commitment to service excellence and becoming a world-class healthcare organization,” McLin stated. “The changes to come at Good Samaritan Hospital will allow for future growth in our five centers of excellence; oncology, surgery, orthopedics, cardiology and obstetrics. Equally important, the plan will enhance productivity and reduce unnecessary costs as we continue to progress as the regional center of excellence.”

The board granted Indianapolis-based BSA Lifestructures, an architecture and engineering firm that specializes in healthcare, the right to design the new state-of-the-art pavilion and renovations. “BSA will meet with every clinical area affected by the project to gather input on what is exactly needed in a design to provide the best care to patients,” stated John Manning, vice president of Behavioral Health/Special Projects, who is heading up the construction project. “We are pleased to partner with BSA again after they designed our Cancer Pavilion. They come into this relationship with an impressive resume which includes multiple hospital designs.”

Design on the project is expected to take from 9 to 12 months. Manning said once the construction documents are completed, bids would be let out for the construction process. The board also approved hiring a construction manager for the project. “Because the construction manager locks in a guaranteed price Good Samaritan Hospital will be protected from any overage fees,” Manning said.

Hunt Construction of Indianapolis was approved by the board to take on the role as Construction Manager. Hunt also boasts an impressive resume having built the Indianapolis Colts home, Lucas Oil Stadium, and the 1.5 million-square-foot, $641 million USC Med Center in Los Angeles. The company has also worked with BSA Lifestructures on nearly a dozen projects.

Manning anticipates that ground will be broken on the new patient tower at the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012. The project is to be completed in five phases. The first would be to build a 200,000-square-foot, 120-bed inpatient tower that connects to the northwest side of the current building extending toward Willow Street, as well as an energy center.

The following phases would include renovations to Columbian Tower East and three floors of the Health Pavilion. After all renovations, the total licensed bed capacity would be 165, which includes inpatient, rehabilitation, and psychiatric. Good Samaritan Hospital will strive for LEED certification.

“The new tower and the renovations will put us at the right size, with capacity to grow,” added McLin. “This new tower will meet the needs of our health care consumers as they expect a modern health care facility, and room for their family members.”

When looking into pursuing the project, hospital administration took all alternatives to building new into consideration. Jerry Stump, Chief Financial Officer of Good Samaritan Hospital, said studies were conducted on renovating the Columbian Tower, as well as replacing mechanical and electrical equipment, such as the chillers and boilers.

“Efficiencies that would be gained from a new, modern facility outweighed any benefit of renovation and replacing the mechanical equipment,” Stump said. “Due to the substantial cost to make repairs and the greater benefit of building a new tower, we felt moving forward with this master facility plan is in the best interest of the organization and our community. The hospital is also in a good financial position to take on a project of this magnitude, not to mention with the state of the economy we hope to take advantage of a competitive bid environment.”

Stump said around $60 million of the project will be financed through specialty bonds or bank financing. “We are fortunate to have the reserves to pay for nearly half of the project with hospital equity and investments,” he said.

Good news to the community, the new hospital addition will allow staff to provide quality care in a state-of-the-art building to patients without dipping into their pockets.

“No property will be taken off the tax roll, nor will any tax be levied,” Stump commented. “The project will not be financed by raising our charges to patients. We are one of the lowest cost providers in the state and plan to remain as such.”

The community will even have a hand in designing the new project. Over the last several months, McLin traveled all over Knox County hosting Community Focus Groups.

“The feedback we received from the community during these focus groups was tremendous,” McLin stated. “We are so appreciative of the valuable information gathered from our community neighbors, as well as our employees and medical staff. We will take that input into consideration when designing the building project.”McLin said he is also thankful to the board of governors for supporting this project.

“Over the last 100 years Good Samaritan Hospital has added services, completed numerous building additions and expanded its community impact. We are fortunate to have a board of governors who look to excel into a new generation of health care by creating a modern health care facility that affords efficiencies and the right size capacity,” he said.

Mary Cay Martin, Good Samaritan Hospital Board of Governors Chairperson said the board couldn’t be more pleased to approve the expansion.  “The decision we have made will afford the opportunity to provide a world-class facility to match the world class care already provided by the hospital staff,” she added.

Ground could break on the project as early as the end of this year, and final completion is expected by mid-2016 at the latest.

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Posted July 28, 2011

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