2017 Annual Nursing Report

Renovations In June, 2017, LewisGale Hospital Montgomery unveiled a newly renovated Emergency Department and formally introduced its new da Vinci Surgical System, marking the completion of more than $10 million in hospital infrastructure improvements as part of an investment announced last fall. More than $1 million in renovations to the Hospital’s 9,000-square-foot Emergency Department expanded the triage area where patients are assessed upon arrival. A new Super Track area was added where patients with lower acuity conditions are seen, leading to even faster patient care. The addition of the da Vinci Surgical

System offers patients an alternative to traditional surgical services, and one that provides for a faster recovery, less pain, and shorter period of physical restrictions, as compared to open or traditional laparoscopic surgery. Jason Fowlkes, MD, LewisGale Physicians, Montgomery Surgery Associates completed his inaugural minimally-invasive surgery in June using the new da Vinci robotic system. Additional improvements that were part of the $10 million project include: • More than $1 million in renovations and enhancements to the hospital’s 11,000 square-foot Surgical Department housing seven operating rooms, one of which was enlarged to accommodate the da Vinci robotic surgical system • $3 million toward the installation of a new energy management system that controls heating and air conditioning throughout the hospital with increased efficiency. The new system includes alarms that signal when temperature and humidity are out of range, which is particularly important in the Operating Room area • Major renovations to the 12,000 square-foot Progressive Care Unit on the second floor, where patients are closely monitored for blood pressure and heart rhythm, and additional renovations to the Cardiac Rehab and Respiratory Therapy area • Two new digital x-ray units, including one that is located in the ED Suite • Additional security system enhancements “Demand for quality healthcare services in the New River Valley continues to grow – particularly in the area of ER visits – in tandem with the growth experienced throughout Blacksburg and at Virginia Tech,” stated Alan Fabian, CEO, LewisGale Hospital Montgomery. “We’re better able to meet this demand – now and into the future – thanks in part to the renovations’ completion, the availability of new robotic surgery, ER wait times that are significantly lower than other emergency rooms, and the hospital’s Blacksburg location.”

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