The latest on our expansion, moving, key dates

Timeline, FAQ covers patient moves, navigation, more!

The expansion to Building A is complete and we are well underway to opening on schedule.

There is still construction disruption on campus. Although we are in the final stages of construction, work is ongoing, as is the renovation of the Building A main lobby and information desk and the Salem Health Foundation-funded Families Matter project.

The Families Matter project includes the relocation and redesign of an all-faiths chapel (between the emergency department entrance and main lobby), an outdoor garden space and indoor seating area for ED families.

Key dates and progress:

• On April 19, we opened the emergency department driveway and first floor for ED patient and visitor use.
  • Valet services on campus have ended. They were brought to campus to mitigate the construction disruption to patient parking and ED access.
  • Navigation of the new traffic flows is going well overall.
  • Provider parking locations have not changed as a result of this transition.
• Transition plan execution:
  • Furniture and equipment deliveries have begun. This will continue through late June.
  • Planning for including the five new units in current operations is taking place throughout the organization.
  • Planning of the patient move is nearly complete. The drafted schedule is as follows:
    • July 14
      • Move the patients and staff from B5 S (general surgery) into A3 E.
      • Move a small number of medical patients from B5 S and B4 S into A4 E (new unit, manager being hired).
      • Move the patients and staff from B4 S (medical surgical) into A5 E.
      • Relocate patients and staff from B6 S (orthopedics) to B5 S. This is a temporary move.
    • July 15-24
      • No patients move.
      • Equipment will be moved from the empty units (B4 S and B6 S) to A6 E and A7 E, allowing the next round of patient moves to commence.
    • July 25
      • Move the patients and staff from B5 N (oncology) to A7 E.
      • Move the patients and staff from B6 N (general medicine) mostly to A6 E, with a few medical patients going to B5 N and A4 E.
      • Move the patients and staff from B3 W to B5 N.
    • August and September: B6 N will receive some minor refresh and repair work. The work will take about three weeks, then we will shuffle patients and staff between B5 N and B5 S to perform similar work in B5 N and move the orthopedics patients and staff to their permanent location, B6 N.

FAQs

Q: How will I know where my patient is during the move?
A: Epic will have the up-to-date location for the patient during the move. We recommend consulting Epic rather than printing lists during the move periods. We will also have a command center in place to manage logistics.

Q: What is the new building called?
A: Building A. It does not have a separate name. The new units are the A East units.

Q: How do you get to the new units?
A: Once we open in July, visitors will take the public elevators in Building A to their intended floor. Signage will direct them to the right unit/room. There are back-of-house elevators that will be available for staff and provider use as well.

Q: How did the project go?
A: We broke ground in January 2020 and continued through the pandemic, wildfires, ice storm, and record heat. Despite the challenges, we finished on time and within budget. The building is beautiful and we are so grateful to our construction partners.

Q: Why is the move plan so complicated?
A: We are relocating some equipment rather than purchasing all new equipment for the new units. This requires a complex sequence.

More questions? Email campusexpansion@salemhealth.org.