It will be a peek into one of the most state-of-the-art medical facilities this side of Texas as Covenant Health Plainview prepares to host a community open house of their newly constructed James and Eva Mayer Surgical Center on Dec. 4.
“It’s going to be a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Covenant Health Plainview CEO Bob Copeland, who will open the doors of the more than 11,000 square-foot surgical center to the public.
After the new surgical wing undergoes its final sterilization cleanse, the center will be deemed a “clean zone” accessible to only surgical staff and patients.
“But if you’re a patient going into surgery, you’re going to be asleep by the time you go through those doors,” said Copeland with a laugh.
But before the final sterilization process starts, Covenant Health Plainview will host community tours of the two-story surgical center, located in the south side of the Plainview hospital. A great way to spend a Sunday afternoon, tours will run from 2-5:30 p.m.
The surgical center will be one of the first completed phases of the $40 million renovation and expansion of the Plainview hospital.
The surgical center will more than double the size of Covenant Plainview’s surgery capabilities.
Now, one of the region’s best surgical teams will work out of one of the state’s best surgical facilities as the Covenant Health Plainview staff is ready to move in and serve the people of West Texas.
“This is top of the line, some of the best O.R. rooms I’ve ever seen,” said Covenant Health Plainview orthopedic surgeon Dr. Benjamin Farr as he described the size and the capabilities of the new surgical center. “We’ve been cramped in very small operating rooms for quite some time and having these larger, state-of-the-art O.R. rooms is going to be amazing. It’s really going to facilitate the work flow of surgery and we are going to be able provide more modern and efficient care.”
The new surgical center project will add four additional operating rooms to Covenant Health Plainview and also will renovate two existing operating rooms into endoscopy and cystoscopy areas. The new surgical rooms are double the size of the hospital’s current 15×15-foot rooms.
“It’s going to be a huge upgrade to what we’ve had,” said construction project manager Ron Smith.
Each surgical room will be equipped with the latest technology and tools, including advanced computers, monitors and all LED lighting.
Walls of the surgical rooms are composed of special medical Corian materials while the floor is made up of a strong, seamless, impenetrable rubber material for safer and easier cleanup.
Even air flow systems are constructed to eliminate all dust risk while an air-pressure system ensures all rooms are sealed air tight.
The center also features a larger modern surgical recovery room with bigger patient bays with advanced medical capabilities, including portable equipment and monitors and critical nursing tools built right on the wall.
Aesthetically natural lighting from windows, soft lighting from LEDs, a special noise reducing floor and a home-like contemporary interior design will help with the transitions as patients wake up from anesthesia in the recovery room.
The sheer size of the surgical center has to be seen to be believed as it features larger nursing stations and massive storage space for medical equipment.
“The ability for the nursing staff to be in visible contact with all of the folks is much better than before,” Smith said.
Once the renovation of the surgical department is complete, highlights will include renovated post-op rooms and a new surgical waiting room.
After the tours are completed, the surgical center will undergo a week-long final sterilization process. Once that is completed, Covenant Health Plainview staff can begin conducting surgeries in the facility.
Prior to the open house, Covenant will host private tours for school children leading up to a special donor reception Friday, Dec. 2.
(News release from Covenant Health)