“Projects like this move our hospital forward and fulfill our mission to deliver world-class care right here in Jamestown,” said Brian Durniok, interim president, UPMC Chautauqua. “This $20 million project features an improved design, additional space, more privacy and modern amenities for patients and visitors.”

The new 42,000 square-foot expansion includes:

• Four labor and delivery suites and three triage rooms;
• 12 postpartum private rooms where patients will be able to heal;
• 10 inpatient adolescent mental health beds; and,
• 20 inpatient adult mental health beds.

The expansion project was made possible by a $26.4 million state grant, part of a $1.5 billion commitment made by the state in 2016 to assist health care providers fund capital improvements and further develop health systems.

Others who offered remarks at the ceremony included County Executive George Borrello; Betsy Wright, former UPMC Chautauqua president; Peter Stark, WCA Foundation board chair; and Steve Kilburn, UPMC Chautauqua board president.

Additionally, unveiled for the first time was a baby mural wall with more than 700 baby photos submitted by former patients. “Community is a very important part of what we do here. That is why we asked our friends, our patients, to help us share some thoughts and memories that we could feature in our new units,” said Durniok. In the mental health unit, an inspirational word art display includes about 100 submissions from the community.

“We’re grateful because expansion projects like this enable our medical staff to practice in a hospital with a very rich tradition of excellent local leadership and compassionate care that also is part of a nationally ranked academic medical center, strong hospital network and one of the largest provider-led integrated health care delivery and finance systems in the country,” said Durniok.

At 12:30 p.m. the hospital will hold a Beam-signing and topping off ceremony to mark the completion of assembling the structural steel for the hospital’s new Women’s and Maternity Care Center and inpatient adolescent and adult mental health units.

The $26 million expansion project was announced near the end of 2016 after WCA merged with UPMC –  Pennsylvania’s largest health system. Clark Patterson Lee handled the project design and LeChase Construction is the lead contractor.

Among those who will be on hand for the occasion are UPMC Chautauqua WCA president Betsy Wright, WCA Board Chair Steve Kilburn, WCA Foundation chair Peter Stark, and State assemblyman Andy Goodell – among others.

The two-story addition is located above the hospital’s emergency department. Once completed, the hospital will relocate labor and delivery, post-partum, nursery and an operating room to the new third floor space, while the fourth floor space will house inpatient psychiatric care, including a 10-bed adolescent unit and a 20-bed unit for adults.

Funding for the project comes from a $26.4 million grant awarded in March by DOH to support sustainability efforts and infrastructure improvements.

Thursday’s event is several months in the making and follows the special ground breaking event for the project that took place in May 2017.